Louis Elan D. author Columbia University. Center for Parkinson's Disease and Other Movement Disorders Columbia University. Epidemiology Jurewicz Eva C. author Columbia University. Sergievsky Center Applegate LaKeisha author Columbia University. Sergievsky Center Factor-Litvak Pam author Columbia University. Epidemiology Parides Michael author Columbia University. Biostatistics Andrews Leslie author Columbia University. Environmental Health Sciences Slavkovich Vesna author Columbia University. Environmental Health Sciences Graziano Joseph author Columbia University. Environmental Health Sciences Columbia University. Pharmacology Carroll Spencer author Todd Andrew author Columbia University. Center for Parkinson's Disease and Other Movement Disorders originator text Articles 2003 English Lead is a ubiquitous toxicant that causes tremor and cerebellar damage. Essential tremor (ET) is a highly prevalent neurologic disease associated with cerebellar involvement. Although environmental toxicants may play a role in ET etiology and their identification is a critical step in disease prevention, these toxicants have received little attention. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that ET is associated with lead exposure. Therefore, blood lead (BPb) concentrations were measured and a lifetime occupational history was assessed in ET patients and in controls. We frequency matched 100 ET patients and 143 controls on age, sex, and ethnicity. BPb concentrations were analyzed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A lifetime occupational history was reviewed by an industrial hygienist. BPb concentrations were higher in ET patients than in controls (mean ± SD, 3.3 ± 2.4 and 2.6 ± 1.6 µg/dL, respectively; median, 2.7 and 2.3 µg/dL; p = 0.038). In a logistic regression model, BPb concentration was associated with diagnosis [control vs. ET patient, odds ratio (OR) per unit increase = 1.21; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-1.39; p = 0.007]. BPb concentration was associated with diagnosis (OR per unit increase = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03-1.37; p = 0.02) after adjusting for potential confounders. Prevalence of lifetime occupational lead exposure was similar in ET patients and controls. We report an association between BPb concentration and ET. Determining whether this association is due to increased exposure to lead or a difference in lead kinetics in ET patients requires further investigation. Neurosciences 111 14 1707 1711 2003 0091-6765 http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.6404 http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:9927 NNC NNC 2011-03-10 09:21:59 -0500 2012-09-04 16:22:48 -0400 3052 eng