Sex-Specific Cross-Sectional Associations and Exploratory Mediation Analysis of Cardiovascular Disease Risk by Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Cadmium-Exposed Populations

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with its burden continuing to rise. Environmental cadmium (Cd) exposure has emerged as a potential risk factor for CVD. This study aimed to investigate the associations between Cd exposure and CVD risk, and to explore cross-sectional associations and a potential inflammatory pathway using exploratory mediation analysis.