Urinary and Dietary Analysis of 18,470 Bangladeshis Reveal a Correlation of Rice Consumption with Arsenic Exposure and Toxicity

Background: We utilized data from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) in Araihazar, Bangladesh, to evaluate the association of steamed rice consumption with urinary total arsenic concentration and arsenical skin lesions in the overall study cohort (N=18,470) and in a subset with available urinary arsenic metabolite data (N=4,517). Methods: General linear models with standardized beta coefficients were used to estimate associations between steamed rice consumption and urinary total arsenic concentration and urinary arsenic metabolites. Logistic regression models were used to estimate prevalence odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between rice intake and prevalent skin lesions at baseline. Discrete time hazard models were used to estimate discrete time (HRs) ratios and their 95% CIs for the associations between rice intake and incident skin lesions. Results: Steamed rice consumption was positively associated with creatinine-adjusted urinary total arsenic (β=0.041, 95% CI: 0.032-0.051) and urinary total arsenic with statistical adjustment for creatinine in the model (β=0.043, 95% CI: 0.032-0.053). Additionally, we observed a significant trend in skin lesion prevalence (P-trend=0.007) and a moderate trend in skin lesion incidence (P-trend=0.07) associated with increased intake of steamed rice. Conclusions: This study suggests that rice intake may be a source of arsenic exposure beyond drinking water

Urinary and Dietary Analysis of 18,470 Bangladeshis Reveal a Correlation of Rice Consumption with Arsenic Exposure and Toxicity

Background: We utilized data from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) in Araihazar, Bangladesh, to evaluate the association of steamed rice consumption with urinary total arsenic concentration and arsenical skin lesions in the overall study cohort (N=18,470) and in a subset with available urinary arsenic metabolite data (N=4,517).Methods: General linear models with standardized beta coefficients were used to estimate associations between steamed rice consumption and urinary total arsenic concentration and urinary arsenic metabolites. Logistic regression models were used to estimate prevalence odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between rice intake and prevalent skin lesions at baseline. Discrete time hazard models were used to estimate discrete time (HRs) ratios and their 95% CIs for the associations between rice intake and incident skin lesions.Results: Steamed rice consumption was positively associated with creatinine-adjusted urinary total arsenic (β=0.041, 95% CI: 0.032-0.051) and urinary total arsenic with statistical adjustment for creatinine in the model (β=0.043, 95% CI: 0.032-0.053). Additionally, we observed a significant trend in skin lesion prevalence (P-trend=0.007) and a moderate trend in skin lesion incidence (P-trend=0.07) associated with increased intake of steamed rice.Conclusions: This study suggests that rice intake may be a source of arsenic exposure beyond drinking water.</p

Associations between steamed rice intake and prevalent and incident skin lesions, stratified by well water arsenic concentration (N=18,740).

<p>Adjusted for water arsenic, age, energy intake, education length, BMI, gender, smoking status, and study cohort.</p

Associations between tertiles of steamed rice intake and urinary arsenic measures for total population.

<p>Multivariate models adjusted for sex, age, study cohort, BMI, total water intake, skin lesion status, rice consumption(yes/no), water arsenic, education length and smoking status </p>*<p>multivariate model also adjusted for urinary creatinine</p

Associations between steamed rice intake and urinary arsenic measures, stratified by sex and water arsenic intake for overall cohort (N=18,470) and subset with urinary arsenic metabolites data (N=4,517).

<p>Multivariate models adjusted for sex, age, BMI,study cohort, total water intake, skin lesion status, water arsenic, education length, and smoking status</p>*<p>models additionally adjusted for urinary creatinine</p>**<p>Estimates are per standard deviation increase in rice intake</p

Associations between steamed rice intake and urinary arsenic measures for total population (18,470) and for subset with metabolites data ( N=4,517).

<p>Multivariate models adjusted for sex, age, study cohort, BMI, total water intake, skin lesion status, rice consumption(yes/no), water arsenic, education length and smoking status</p>**<p>Estimates are per standard deviation increase </p>*<p>Sex- and age-adjusted and multivariate models additionally adjusted for urinary creatinine</p

Participant characteristics for Overall Population.

*<p>urinary total arsenic cutpoints were determined by tertiles of study population</p>**<p>steamed rice consumption cutpoints determined by distribution of consumption in total study population</p