Abstract:

The role of environmental factors in the occurrence and development of diabetes mellitus has drawn more and more attention in recent years. A large amount of evidence has suggested a close association between arsenic exposure and the incidence of diabetes. The incidence of diabetes increases significantly in areas that drinking water is polluted by arsenic. More and more cell and animal experiments have indicated that arsenide can result in insulin resistance and impaired glucose uptake in peripheral tissues, which can cause impaired glucose tolerance. The paper reviews the association between arsenic exposure and the incidence of diabetes from perspectives of epidemiological study and pathogenesis.

Key words: arsenic, diabetes mellitus, epidemiology, pathogenesis