Table 2 General characteristics of the study population by blood lead quartiles

 N

133

130

131

131

 Blood lead level, μg/dL

≤3.60

3.61–5.29

5.30–7.28

≥7.29

 Age, yr

52 (39–61)

53 (42–64)

59 (48–66)

60 (51–69)

 Blood cadmium level, μg/dL

0.07 (0.04–0.23)

0.16 (0.07–0.29))

0.19 (0.08–0.33)

0.30 (0.12–0.45)

 Educational level, %

  < High School

69.3

69.6

84.5

82.5

 High school

17.5

21.4

12.2

13.3

  > High School

13.2

9.0

3.3

4.2

 ALT, U/L

21.0 (17.0–33.0)

20.0 (16.0–27.0)

21.0 (16.0–28.0)

20.0 (15.0–28.0)

 Waist circumference, cm

80.0 (74.0–86.0)

80.0 (73.0–86.0)

80.0 (75.0–87.0)

84.0 (76.0–90.0)

 Body mass index, kg/m²

24.5 (21.6–26.3)

23.6 (21.1–26.0)

23.7 (21.7–26.0)

24.1 (22.0–27.3)

 LDL-cholesterol, mmol/L

2.81 (2.30–3.15)

2.66 (2.31–3.10)

2.74 (2.33–3.25)

2.90 (2.34–3.29)

 HDL-cholesterol, mmol/L

1.34 (1.17–1.54)

1.34 (1.09–1.53)

1.28 (1.10–1.49)

1.32 (1.14–1.52)

 Triglycerides, mmol/L

1.30 (0.90–1.85)

1.28 (0.96–1.74)

1.33 (0.93–1.99)

1.28 (0.97–1.90)

 Total-cholesterol, mmol/L

4.92 (4.37–5.56)

4.84 (4.31–5.43)

4.93 (4.26–5.47)

4.95 (4.38–5.60)

 Diabetes, %

12.0

7.7

12.3

15.3

 Current smoker, %

46.5

54.5

52.8

39.0

 N

372

371

372

371

 Blood lead level, μg/dL

≤2.97

2.98–4.49

4.50–6.59

≥6.60

 Age, yr

52 (41–60)

53 (43–62)

54 (45–63)

59 (50–66)

 Blood cadmium level, μg/dL

0.06 (0.03–0.13)

0.13 (0.06–0.27)

0.18 (0.07–0.34)

0.27 (0.14–0.44)

 Educational level, %

  < High School

84.1

82.2

89.1

90.9

 High school

10.8

12.2

7.3

7.3

  > High School

5.1

5.6

3.6

1.8

 ALT, U/L

17.0 (13.0–22.0)

17.0 (13.0–23.0)

16.0 (13.0–22.0)

16.0 (13.0–20.0)

 Waist circumference, cm

75.0 (70.0–82.0)

76.0 (70.0–82.0)

76.0 (70.0–84.3)

79.0 (72.0–85.0)

 Body mass index, kg/m²

23.2 (21.0–25.6)

23.7 (21.2–25.8)

24.0 (21.7–26.4)

24.8 (22.5–27.9)

 LDL-cholesterol, mmol/L

2.61 (2.24–3.18)

2.68 (2.28–3.16)

2.80 (2.35–3.31)

2.94 (2.56–3.40)

 HDL-cholesterol, mmol/L

1.47 (1.28–1.63)

1.47 (1.27–1.66)

1.45 (1.29–1.67)

1.47 (1.29–1.68)

 Triglycerides, mmol/L

1.18 (0.83–1.58)

1.21 (0.88–1.69)

1.21 (0.92–1.71)

1.27 (0.95–1.82)

 Total-cholesterol, mmol/L

4.91 (4.33–5.66)

4.88 (4.36–5.55)

5.04 (4.47–5.64)

5.18 (4.55–5.78)

 Diabetes, %

8.3

11.1

11.0

14.6

 Current smoker, %

3.6

0.8

1.7

1.7