Arsenic exposure and anemia in Bangladesh: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between arsenic exposure and anemia, based on blood hemoglobin concentration. METHODS: Hemoglobin measures, skin lesions, arsenic exposure, and nutritional and demographic information were collected from 1954 Bangladeshi participants in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study. We used general linear modeling to assess the association between arsenic exposure and hemoglobin concentration, examining men and women separately. RESULTS: Arsenic exposure (urinary arsenic >200 microg/L) was negatively associated with hemoglobin among all men and among women with hemoglobin <10 d/L. Other predictors of anemia in men and women included older age, lower body mass index, and low intake of iron. Among women, the use of contraceptives predicted higher hemoglobin. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests an association between high arsenic exposure and anemia in Bangladesh.