Differences in the susceptibility to cadmium-induced renal tubular damage and osteoporosis according to sex

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the risks for renal tubular damage and osteoporosis in individuals with long-term environmental Cd exposure. This cross-sectional study comprised 1086 residents living in the vicinity of a copper refinery plant. As the urinary Cd levels increased, the proportion of female subjects with beta(2)-MG >= 300 mu g/g creatinine also increased significantly, but this was not observed in the male subjects. The prevalence of osteoporosis was significantly higher in men with urinary Cd >5 mu g/g creatinine than in those with urinary Cd <= 5 mu g/g creatinine. This difference was not observed in the corresponding female groups. The association between increased urinary excretion of beta(2)-MG and decreased BMD was statistically significant only in the female subjects. We suggest that an increased Cd body burden directly decreases the BMD in male subjects; however, in female subjects, it first induces renal microtubular damage, which can lead to osteoporosis. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.