TY - JOUR T1 - Renal tubular dysfunction in children living in the Aral Sea Region JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood JO - Arch Dis Child SP - 966 LP - 968 DO - 10.1136/adc.88.11.966 VL - 88 IS - 11 AU - K Kaneko AU - M Chiba AU - M Hashizume AU - O Kunii AU - S Sasaki AU - T Shimoda AU - Y Yamashiro AU - W Caypil AU - D Dauletbaev Y1 - 2003/11/01 UR - http://adc.bmj.com/content/88/11/966.abstract N2 - Background: The Aral Sea region is a natural area seriously polluted by human activities. Recent surveillance revealed the increased prevalence of diverse chronic diseases in children. Aims: To investigate the function of renal tubules, which are most at risk of damage as a result of heavy metal intoxication, in children of the Aral Sea region. Methods: A group of 205 children living in Kazalinsk, close to the Aral Sea, and a group of 187 children living in Zhanakorgan, far from the Aral Sea, were examined by means of random urine samples. Both urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG; U/mmol Cr) and β2 microglobulin (BMG; μg/mmol Cr) were calculated for each subject. Results: Mean urinary NAG and BMG were both significantly higher in Kazalinsk than in Zhanakorgan (NAG: 0.77 (0.58) and 0.62 (0.37) U/mmol Cr; BMG: 41.8 (54.8) and 22.5 (20.4) μg/mmol Cr, respectively; mean (SD), p < 0.01). The number of children with abnormal values of NAG (>1.5 U/mmol Cr) was significantly more prevalent in Kazalinsk than in Zhanakorgan (7.9% and 2.6%, respectively, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Renal tubular function of children around the Aral Sea region is profoundly impaired. This should be taken into account when considering the health problems of this area. ER -