According to a new study published online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, levels of lead in drinking water that are acceptable as per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), may still be harmful for patients with kidney disease.

Among around 600,000 individuals who started dialysis in the U.S. between 2005 and 2017, each 0.01 mg/L rise in lead in drinking water was tied to a significant reduction in hemoglobin concentrations (0.02 g/dL, 95% CI 0.01-0.02) and a rise in the use of erythropoietin-stimulating agents, used to treat anemia (0.4%, 95% CI 0.2%-0.6%). The associations were seen at lead levels below the EPA′s threshold of 0.015 mg/L, which calls for regulatory action. Researchers thus stated that for patients with kidney disease, there are no safe levels of lead in drinking water… (Medpage Today)