Does Fluoride Toxicity Cause Hypertension in Patients with Endemic Fluorosis?
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Does Fluoride Toxicity Cause Hypertension in Patients with Endemic Fluorosis? Ercan Varol & Simge Varol Received: 24 July 2012 / Accepted: 14 August 2012 / Published online: 25 August 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012
We have read the article published by Amini et al. with a great interest [1]. They have examined the relationship of fluoride (F) in groundwater resources of Iran with the blood pressure of Iranian population in an ecologic study. They have found statistically significant positive correlations between the mean concentrations of F in the groundwater resources and the hypertension prevalence of males, females, and overall. They have also found statistically significant positive correlations between the mean concentrations of F in the groundwater resources and the mean SBP of males and a borderline correlation with females. We congratulate the authors for this clinical study. There was no previous study evaluating the relationship between F toxicity and blood pressure in clinical setting. There is only one experimental study that has been done in laboratory animals. In this animal study, in which Wistar rats were used, there was a significant correlation between the blood pressure of male rats and perinatal exposure to sodium F. Moreover, perinatal exposure to sodium F in Wistar rats resulted in a dose-dependent, long-lasting functional impairment in hemodynamic control [2]. The main source of fluoride for humans is the intake of groundwater contaminated by geological sources (maximum concentrations reaching 30–50 mg/l). The level of fluoride contamination is dependent on the nature of the rocks and the occurrence of fluoride-bearing minerals in groundwater. Fluorosis is a worldwide health problem and is endemic in some areas where fluoride content is high in drinking water. In our city, Isparta, which is located in the
E. Varol (*) Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey e-mail: [email protected] S. Varol Department of Geology, Faculty of Engineering, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey
southwest part of Turkey, fluoride content of natural drinking water is high in some parts of the city. As a result, fluorosis is still endemic in some parts of our city [3]. According to Isparta Health Organization data, the mean fluoride level in drinking water was 2.74±064 ppm in the endemic fluorosis region and 0.53±0.06 mg/dl in the non-endemic region [3]. The effect of chronic F exposure on the cardiovascular system in human being is a missing issue. In our previous two studies, we have examined the effect of chronic F exposure on the cardiovascular system of endemic fluorosis patients living in endemic fluorosis area in our province. We have shown that aortic elasticity and left ventricular diastolic and global functions were impaired in patients with endemic fluorosis [4, 5]. The assessment of aortic stiffness which is calculated from pulsatile changes in ascending aorta by echocardiography is an important determinant of vascular ch
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