Relationship between RBC Mercury Levels and Serum n3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Concentrations among Japanese Men and Women
Table 3
Total mercury concentration (ng/g) in red blood cells by EPA and HDL-EPA levels.
Men
Women
RBC Hg levels
RBC Hg levels
Mean*1 (ng/g)
95% CI
Mean*1 (ng/g)
95% CI
EPA levels in sera (mg/L)
<40
26
39.0
28.3–53.8
36
21.2
16.6–27.0
40–
27
33.1
24.6–44.6
55
24.7
20.2–30.4
60–
11
54.7
38.9–76.9
46
27.2
22.1–33.4
80+
33
44.9
34.5–58.4
32
33.1
25.7–42.5
for trend*2 = 0.149
for trend*2 = 0.005
EPA levels in HDL fraction of sera (mg/L)
<15
23
43.8
31.6–60.7
32
21.6
17.0–27.4
15–
26
39.8
29.8–53.2
78
24.2
20.3–28.8
25–
12
45.7
31.1–67.2
30
31.8
24.6–41.0
35+
34
46.1
35.4–60.2
30
35.1
27.2–45.4
for trend*2 = 0.568
for trend*2 = 0.001
*1: Geometric mean. *2: When calculating values, age was always included in the models as a covariate. The continuous for trend was calculated by treating the EPA level as a continuous variable.