High mercury seafood consumption associated with fatigue at specialty medical clinics on Long Island, NY

Abstract

We investigated the association between seafood consumption and symptoms related to potential mercury toxicity in patients presenting to specialty medical clinics at Stony Brook Medical Center on Long Island, New York. We surveyed 118 patients from April-August 2012 about their seafood consumption patterns, specifically how frequently they were eating each type of fish, to assess mercury exposure. We also asked about symptoms associated with mercury toxicity including depression, fatigue, balance difficulties, or tingling around the mouth. Of the 118 adults surveyed, 14 consumed high mercury seafood (tuna steak, marlin, swordfish, or shark) at least weekly. This group was more likely to suffer from fatigue than other patients (p = 0.02). Logistic regression confirmed this association of fatigue with frequent high mercury fish consumption in both unadjusted analysis (OR = 5.53; 95% CI: 1.40-21.90) and analysis adjusted for age, race, sex, income, and clinic type (OR = 7.89; 95% CI: 1.63-38.15). No associations were observed between fish intake and depression, balance difficulties, or tingling around the mouth. Findings suggest that fatigue may be associated with eating high mercury fish but sample size is small. Larger studies are needed to determine whether fish intake patterns or blood mercury tests warrant consideration as part of the clinical work-up in coastal regions.

Keywords: Coastal population; FSS, Fatigue Severity Scale; Fish consumption; Hg, Mercury; MeHg, Organic mercury = methylmercury; Mercury exposure; Mercury toxicity; PHQ-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Sleep medicine; USEPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Fig. 1

Screening survey used to determine the need for a blood Hg test. We recommended that physicians order a blood Hg test if the response was in the gray shaded region, or if there were a total of six checkmarks in any region. The version that the patients completed did not include a shaded region.