Prevalence of skin lesions and exposure to arsenic in drinking water in Iran

Prevalence of skin lesions was investigated among 752 participants in eight villages in Kurdistan province in Iran with emphasis on total lifetime intake of arsenic from drinking water (TLIA). The participants were selected from eight villages with different exposure levels using a cluster-sampling technique. TLIA was calculated for each individual taking into account the type of water supply and their mean annual arsenic concentration. The study showed that 49 persons (6.5%) were suffering from hyperkeratosis and 20 persons (2.7%) from hyperpigmentation. The correlation between hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation was significant (R = 0.325, p < 0.01). Using the logistic regression model it was found that the relationship between TLIA and hyperkeratosis (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.039–1.249), and hyperpigmentation (OR = 1.254, 95% CI = 1.112–1.416) was also significant. In conclusion, TLIA can be applied as a reliable indicator for the assessment of exposure.