Arsenic toxicity: Who is most susceptible?

摘要

Ingested arsenic has been associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, skin lesions, infectious disease and other health effects. Susceptibility to these appears to vary greatly from person to person. A number of studies have linked factors such as poor nutrition, inter-individual differences in arsenic metabolism, and genetics to potential increases in arsenic-related risks. Recently expanding evidence also suggests that early-life exposure, obesity, and ancestry might play an important role. For example, in northern Chile high relative risks of lung and bladder cancer were seen in adults who were highly exposed to arsenic in early life but not later. Risks were even higher in subjects who had higher body mass indices. Similar findings were also seen for non-malignant lung disease. Overall, a variety of important susceptibility factors have been identified, and incorporating these into standard setting processes could lead to regulations that help protect major susceptibility groups.