Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine, 2019, 7, 75-90 http://www.scirp.org/journal/odem ISSN Online: 2333-357X ISSN Print: 2333-3561 DOI: 10.4236/odem.2019.73007 Aug. 14, 2019 75 Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine The Blood Lead, Blood Pressure Connection: An Evaluation of Apparently Healthy Lead Exposed Workers in Nigeria Datonye Dennis Alasia * , Alagoma Murtala Iyagba Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Abstract Objective: There is a paucity of evidence on the lead exposure and blood pressure association in Nigeria where lead exposure is still prevalent and poorly regulated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between lead exposure using blood lead level and blood pressure in Port Harcourt Nigeria. Methodology: A prospective cross sectional comparative study of adult subjects with occupational lead exposure and controls, per- formed in Port Harcourt, South-south Nigeria. Blood lead measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used as the biomarker of lead ex- posure while systolic and diastolic blood pressures and other relevant vari- ables were measured and analysed. Results: The mean systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in lead exposed subjects 118.49 (14.67) mmHg com- pared to controls 113.62 (11.31) mmHg (p = 0.008). No difference was ob- served in the mean diastolic blood pressure. A higher proportion of subjects had systolic and diastolic pressure > 140 mmHg and >90 mmHg compared to controls 9.47% vs. 1.25% and 10.51% vs. 2.54%, with (p = 0.016), OR = 8.27 < 1.14 < OR < 169.09>, RR = 1.38 < 1.21 < RR < 1.58> and (p = 0.028), OR = 4.59 < 1.00 < OR < 29.15>, RR = 1.33 < 1.13 < RR < 1.55> respectively. There was no significant statistical correlation between blood lead and blood pres- sure. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a significant systolic blood pressure elevation and prevalence of hypertension among lead exposed workers in Port Harcourt Nigeria. Lager longitudinal research is needed to evaluate lead exposure and elevated blood pressure association in Nigeria. The findings call for better regulation of occupational lead exposure in Nige- ria. Keywords Blood Pressure, Lead Exposure, Nigeria How to cite this paper: Alasia, D.D. and Iyagba, A.M. (2019) The Blood Lead, Blood Pressure Connection: An Evaluation of Apparently Healthy Lead Exposed Workers in Nigeria. Occupational Diseases and Envi- ronmental Medicine, 7, 75-90. https://doi.org/10.4236/odem.2019.73007 Received: June 27, 2019 Accepted: August 11, 2019 Published: August 14, 2019 Copyright © 2019 by author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access