Boron, the fifth element in the periodic table, is ubiquitous in nature. It is present in food and in surface and ocean waters, and is frequently used in industrial, cosmetic, and medical settings. Exposure to boron and related compounds has been recently implicated as a potential cause of chronic kidney disease in Southeast Asia. This observation prompted the present review of the published data on the effects of acute and chronic exposure to boron on renal function and structure in human beings and in experimental animals.
⁎Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA.
†Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA.
Address reprint requests to Madeleine V. Pahl, MD, FACP, UCI Medical Center, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, 101 The City Drive, Bldg 53, Rm 125, Rt 81, Orange, CA 92868.
ABSTRACT