Resumen
El envenenamiento por plomo afecta a alrededor de 890 000 niños en EE.UU. Los niños de las minorías étnicas, los pertenecientes a familias de bajos recursos y aquellos que residen en áreas urbanas o casas antiguas presentan riesgo elevado de envenenamiento con plomo. Los niños que ingresan al sistema de hogares sustitutos a menudo viven en la pobreza, y sufren abusos y negligencia. Un estudio para detectar niveles elevados de plomo en sangre (NEPS) de niños en hogares sustitutos, sus hermanos y la población en general demostró que antes de ingresar a este sistema, los niños tenían casi el doble de riesgo que sus hermanos de tener NPES (odds ratio ajustado [aOR] = 1.7; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%], 1.4-2.0), que aquellos en hogares sustitutos (aOR = 1.9; CI 95%, 1.6-2.2) y la población en general (aOR = 1.7; CI 95%, 1.5-2.0). En el punto más alto de prevalencia, aproximadamente el 90% de los niños antes del ingreso a los hogares sustitutos tenía NEPS ≥10 mcg/dl, y el 50% tenía NPES ≥ 20 mcg/dl. Después del ingreso, los niños en hogares de guarda tenían la mitad de las probabilidades que los otros grupos de padecer NEPS, lo cual indica que este sistema puede tener un efecto beneficioso en relación con la exposición al plomo. Los niños en riesgo que serán dados en guarda y sus hermanos deben ser investigados en cuanto a la presencia de envenenamiento por plomo dado el alto predominio de NEPS entre estos niños.
Palabras clave
Niveles de plomo en sangre, envenenamiento por plomo, hogares sustitutos, bienestar del niño
Clasificación en siicsalud
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Especialidades
Principal: Toxicología
Relacionadas: Pediatría, Epidemiología
Artículo completo
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Elevated Blood Lead Levels and Children Living in Foster Care
Abstract
Lead poisoning affects an estimated 890,000 children living in the United States. Minority and poor children, and those residing in older housing and urban areas are at high-risk for lead poisoning. Children who enter the foster care system often live in poverty and suffer from child abuse and neglect. A study of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) in foster care children, their siblings and the general population showed that before entering foster care, children were nearly twice as likely to have EBLLs as their siblings [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4, 2.0], those in foster care placement (aOR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.6, 2.2) and the general population (aOR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.5, 2.0). At the highest point prevalence, approximately 90% of children before foster care placement had EBLLs ≥10 mcg/dL, and 50% had EBLLs ≥ 20 mcg/dL. After placement, children in foster care were half as likely as the other groups to have EBLLs, suggesting that foster care placement may have a beneficial effect on lead exposure. Children at risk for foster care placement and their siblings should be screened for lead poisoning given the high prevalence of EBLLs among these children.
Key words
Niveles de plomo en sangre, envenenamiento por plomo, hogares sustitutos, bienestar del niño
Bibliografía del artículo
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