Evaluating the Level of Lead, Chromium and Malondialdehyde in A Sample of Hypertensive Elderly Tobacco Smokers in Urban and Rural Populations and Impact of Physical Activity: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study.

Urban hypertensive elderly smokers had significantly higher serum lead and MDA levels compared to rural hypertensive elderly smokers.

• Cross-sectional comparative study of 80 hypertensive smokers aged 50-70 years (40 urban and 40 rural)
• Urban participants exhibited significantly higher mean serum lead and MDA levels compared with rural participants (p < 0.05)
• Chromium differences between urban and rural groups were nonsignificant
• Serum Pb and Cr concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, while MDA was measured by the TBARS method

Serum lead was the strongest positive predictor of oxidative stress (MDA) in hypertensive elderly smokers.

• Standardized beta coefficient for serum lead: β = 0.55, t = 5.01, p < 0.001
• Serum chromium was the second strongest positive predictor: β = 0.21, t = 2.11, p = 0.038
• MDA correlated positively with Pb (r = 0.26, p = 0.020)
• Statistical analysis included t-test, χ², and Pearson correlation using SPSS version 26

Physical activity showed a strong negative association with oxidative stress markers in hypertensive elderly smokers.

• Physical activity showed a strong negative correlation with oxidative stress: β = -0.36, t = -3.87, p < 0.001
• MDA correlated negatively with physical activity (r = -0.14, p = 0.227) in bivariate analysis
• The regression model identified physical activity as a significant protective predictor against lipid peroxidation caused by metals
• Demographic, lifestyle, and activity data were obtained through structured questionnaires

The combination of heavy metal exposure, smoking, and aging in hypertensive patients was described as disrupting oxidative balance and facilitating vascular dysfunction.

• Oxidative balance is known to be disrupted when individuals are exposed to heavy metals especially lead and chromium, which facilitate vascular dysfunction
• Smoking adds to this load by producing free radicals which further augment the oxidative stress
• A combination of these effects in elderly hypertensive patients can exacerbate cellular damage and degrade the vascular resilience
• These outcomes can also be altered by differences in environmental exposure and physical activity of urban and rural populations

Exposure to lead was identified as a significant source of oxidative stress among hypertensive smokers, particularly in urban settings.

• Urban environment was associated with higher serum lead and MDA levels (p < 0.05)
• Serum lead was the strongest positive predictor of MDA with β = 0.55, p < 0.001
• Exercise was described as contributing to reducing oxidative load, supporting the importance of lifestyle change in cardiovascular risk prevention
• Study population consisted of hypertensive smokers aged 50-70 years