Association of metal and metalloid exposure with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome: mediation by inflammation, oxidative stress, and aging

Exposure to metal and metalloid species is closely associated with the prevalence of CKM syndrome at different stages. Inflammation, oxidative stress, and biological aging may play partial mediating roles in these associations. As NHANES reflects exposure patterns in the U.S. general population, the findings are most applicable to community-level environmental exposures and should not be directly extrapolated to high-exposure occupational groups. Further validation in prospective cohort studies and mechanistic research is warranted.