摘要：Background Few studies have examined factors related to the time required for children’s blood lead levels (BLLs) ≥ 10 μg/dL to decline to < 10 μg/dL. Objectives We used routinely collected surveillance data to determine the length of time and risk factors associated with reducing elevated BLLs in children below the level of concern of 10 μg/dL. Methods From the North Carolina and Vermont state surveillance databases, we identified a retrospective cohort of 996 children < 6 years of age whose first two blood lead tests produced levels ≥ 10 μg/dL during 1996–1999. Data were stratified into five categories of qualifying BLLs and analyzed using Cox regression. Survival curves were used to describe the time until BLLs declined below the level of concern. We compared three different analytic methods to account for children lost to follow-up. Results On average, it required slightly more than 1 year (382 days) for a child’s BLL to decline to < 10 μg/dL, with the highest BLLs taking even longer. The BLLs of black children [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71–0.99], males (HRmale = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71–0.98), and children from rural areas (HRrural = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70–0.97) took longer to fall below 10 μg/dL than those of other children, after controlling for qualifying BLL and other covariates. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that including censored children estimated a longer time for BLL reduction than when using linear interpolation or when excluding censored children. Conclusion Children with high confirmatory BLLs, black children, males, and children from rural areas may need additional attention during case management to expedite their BLL reduction time to < 10 μg/dL. Analytic methods that do not account for loss to follow-up may underestimate the time it takes for BLLs to fall below the recommended target level.
关键词：blood lead level; capillary; chelation; children; surveillance; venous
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