- Full (HTML) - Full (PDF) - Related EHP Articles - PubMed:Related Articles - PubMed:Citation - Cited in PMC -

Erin Haynes,^1,2 Bruce P. Lanphear,² Ellen Tohn,³ Nick Farr,⁴ and George G. Rhoads⁵

¹University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; ²Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ³ERT Associates, Wayland, Massachusetts, USA; ⁴The National Center for Lead-Safe Housing, Columbia, Maryland, USA; ⁵The Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Public Health Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

Abstract

Dust control is often recommended to prevent children's exposure to residential lead hazards, but the effect of these controls on children's blood lead concentrations is uncertain. We conducted a systematic review of randomized, controlled trials of low-cost, lead hazard control interventions to determine the effect of lead hazard control on children's blood lead concentration. Four trials met the inclusion criteria. We examined mean blood lead concentration and elevated blood lead concentrations ( 10 µg/dL, 15 µg/dL, and 20 µg/dL) and found no significant differences in mean change in blood lead concentration for children by random group assignment (children assigned to the intervention group compared with those assigned to the control group) . We found no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the percentage of children with blood lead 10 µg/dL, 29% versus 32% [odds ratio (OR) , 0.85 ; 95% confidence interval (CI) , 0.56-1.3], but there was a significant difference in the percentage of children with blood lead 15 µg/dL between the intervention and control groups, 6% versus 14% (OR, 0.40 ; 95% CI, 0.21-0.80) and in the percentage of children with blood lead 20 µg/dL between the intervention and control groups, 2% versus 6% (OR, 0.29 ; 95% CI, 0.10-0.85) . We conclude that although low-cost, interior lead hazard control was associated with 50% or greater reduction in the proportion of children who had blood lead concentrations exceeding 15 µg/dL and 20 µg/dL, there was no substantial effect on mean blood lead concentration. Key words: blood lead, children, environmental exposure, lead-contaminated house dust, lead poisoning, prevention, randomized trial. Environ Health Perspect 110:103-107 (2002) . [Online 19 December 2001]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2002/110p103-107haynes/ abstract.html

Address correspondence to B.P. Lanphear, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039 USA. Telephone: (513) 636-3778. Fax: (513) 636-4402. E-mail: bruce.lanphear@chmcc.org

We acknowledge the contributions of S. Hilts, A. Aschengrau, and D. Copenhafer. W. Galke and J. Wilson reviewed the manuscript and provided comments.

This study was funded by the National Center for Lead-Safe Housing and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

Received 27 March 2001 ; accepted 1 June 2001.