Single and combined associations of blood lead and essential metals with serum lipid profiles in community-dwelling adults

Although several studies have examined the relationships between lead (Pb) exposure and serum lipid profiles, the associations of the metal mixture, including lead (Pb) and essential metals with lipid profiles, remain unclear. To investigate the associations of the metal mixture including Pb and essential metals [magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and calcium (Ca)] with serum lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)], as well as the potential interactions among the metals. Nine hundred and ninety-eight Chinese community-dwelling adults completed a questionnaire and underwent checkups of anthropometric parameters, serum lipid profile levels (TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C), and blood metal concentrations (Pb, Mg, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Ca). The multivariable linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were applied to evaluate the single and combined associations of blood Pb and essential metals with serum lipid profiles. In the multivariable linear regression model, the blood Pb was positively associated with TC, LDL-C, and HDL-C (