Bisphenol A (BPA) appears to be associated with a biomarker for higher risk of heart and kidney disease in children and adolescents, according to an analysis of national survey data by New York University (NYU) School of Medicine researchers (Kidney International, January 9, 2013).
Laboratory studies suggest that even low levels of BPA, such as the ones identified in this national survey of children and adolescents, increase oxidative stress and inflammation that promotes protein leakage into the urine, which is a biomarker for early renal impairment and future risk of developing heart disease, according to co-lead study author Leonardo Trasande, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine, and population health.
The researchers acknowledged, however, that their cross-sectional study cannot definitively confirm that BPA contributes to heart disease or kidney dysfunction in children.
Dr. Trasande and colleagues from NYU School of Medicine's department of pediatrics analyzed information on 710 children and adolescents ages 6 to 19. The data were collected from the 2009-2010 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The researchers controlled for risk factors such as hypertension, insulin resistance, elevated cholesterol, exposure to tobacco smoke, race/ethnicity, caregiver education, poverty to income ratio, age, weight, and gender in these children. Children with the highest amount of BPA in their urine, compared with those with the lowest amount, had a higher albumin to creatinine ratio, a potential early marker of renal impairment and future risk of developing heart disease, according to the study.
The researchers excluded children with pre-existing kidney disease from the analysis.
