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Objectives The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure. Material and Methods The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7–14 years, living in 2007–2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted (“hot spot”) areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country. Results Children living near industrial “hot-spots” had B-Cd 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4–1.9) times higher in the Czech Republic and 2.1 (95% CI:1.6–2.8) times higher in Poland, as compared to urban children in the same countries (geometric means [GM]: 0.13 μg/l and 0.15 μg/l, respectively). Correspondingly, B-Pb in the “hot spot” areas was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6–2.1) times higher than in urban areas in Slovakia and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9–2.7) times higher in Poland (urban GM: 19.4 μg/l and 16.3 μg/l, respectively). In China and Morocco, rural children had significantly lower B-Pb than urban ones (urban GM: 64 μg/l and 71 μg/l, respectively), suggesting urban exposure from leaded petrol, water pipes and/or coal-burning. Hg “hot spot” areas in China had B-Hg 3.1 (95% CI: 2.7–3.5) times higher, and Ecuador 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2–1.9) times higher, as compared to urban areas (urban GM: 2.45 μg/l and 3.23 μg/l, respectively). Besides industrial exposure, traffic correlated with B-Cd; male sex, environmental tobacco smoke, and offal consumption with B-Pb; and fish consumption and amalgam fillings with B-Hg. However, these correlations could only marginally explain regional differences. Conclusions These mainly European results indicate that some children experience about doubled exposures to toxic elements just because of where they live. These exposures are unsafe, identifiable, and preventable and therefore call for preventive actions. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(3):349–64

This study aimed to assess the relationship between chosen antioxidants, namely selenoprotein P (SELENOP), peroxiredoxin-5 (Prdx-5), renalase and selected cardiovascular consequences tested in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and echocardiography (ECHO). In our work, cardiovascular consequences refer to higher mean blood pressure (MBP) and pulse pressure (PP) on ABPM, as well as to left atrial enlargement (LAE), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF%) on ECHO. The study group consisted of 101 consecutive patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine, Occupational Diseases and Hypertension to verify the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). Each patient underwent full polysomnography, blood tests, ABPM and ECHO. Both selenoprotein-P and renalase levels correlated with different ABPM and ECHO parameters. We found no correlation between the peroxiredoxin-5 level and none of the tested parameters. We point to the possible application of SELENOP plasma-level testing in the initial selection of high cardiovascular-risk patients, especially if access to more advanced examinations is limited. We further suggest SELENOP measurement as a possible indicator of patients at increased left ventricular hypertrophy risk who should be of particular interest and may benefit from ECHO testing.