Arsenic Exposure from Drinking Water, Dietary Intakes of B Vitamins and Folate, and Risk of High Blood Pressure in Bangladesh: A Population-based, Cross-sectional Study

The authors performed a cross-sectional analysis to evaluate the association between arsenic exposure from drinking water and blood pressure using baseline data of 10,910 participants in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh (October 2000-May 2002). A time-weighted well arsenic concentration (TWA) based on current and past use of drinking wells was derived. Odds ratios for high pulse pressure (> or = 55 mmHg) by increasing TWA quintiles (< or = 8, 8.1-40.8, 40.9-91.0, 91.1-176.0, and 176.1-864.0 microg/liter) were 1.00 (referent), 1.39 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 1.71), 1.21 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.49), 1.19 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.45), and 1.19 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.46). Among participants with a lower than average dietary intake level of B vitamins and…