ArticleFrontiers in public health2024
Associations of heavy metal exposure with diabetic retinopathy in the U.S. diabetic population: a cross-sectional study.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Trace Elements in the Pancreas: From Physiological Homeostasis to the Pathogenesis of Diabetes, Pancreatitis, and Cancer-A Review.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Metallomic Analysis of Vitreous Humor of the Human Eye-A Post-Mortem Multielemental Study.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Environmental Exposures and Oxidative Stress in Retinal and Optic Nerve Diseases: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Therapeutic Opportunities.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Diabetic retinopathy: why some eyes suffer more - a focus on retina-specific risk factors and metabolic memory.Journal of translational medicine · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: Mounting evidence suggests a correlation between heavy metals exposure and diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent and irreversible complication of diabetes that can result in blindness. However, studies focusing on the effects of exposure to heavy metals on DR remain scarce. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential correlation between heavy metals exposure and DR. Methods: A total of 1,146 diabetics from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2005 and 2018 were included in this study. Heavy metal levels were measured via urine testing. Weighted logistic regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were utilized to investigate the potential relationships between exposure to 10 heavy metals and DR. Finally, subgroup analysis was conducted based on the glycemic control status. Results: Among the 1,146 participants, 239 (20.86%) were diagnosed with DR. Those with DR had worse glycemic control and a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease compared to those without DR. Moreover, both the WQS regression and BKMR models demonstrated a positive relationship between exposure to mixed heavy metals and the risk of DR. The results of weighted logistic regression revealed a positive correlation between cobalt (Co) and antimony (Sb) exposure and the risk of DR (OR = 1.489, 95%CI: 1.064-2.082, Conclusion: Heavy metal exposure is associated with an increased risk of DR, especially Sb, Co, and Hg exposure. Nevertheless, well-designed prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.
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