Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (한국산업보건학회지)

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
권호 표지

Association of Bone Lead with Neurobehavioral Test Scores in Lead Workers

연작업자들에서 골중 연량이 신경행동학적 검사성적에 미치는 영향

  • Lee, Sung-Soo (Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College and Institute of Industrial Medicine, Soonchunhyang University) ;
  • Kim, Nam-Soo (Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College and Institute of Industrial Medicine, Soonchunhyang University) ;
  • Kim, Hwa-Sung (Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College and Institute of Industrial Medicine, Soonchunhyang University) ;
  • Ahn, Kyu-Dong (Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College and Institute of Industrial Medicine, Soonchunhyang University) ;
  • Lee, Byung-Kook (Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College and Institute of Industrial Medicine, Soonchunhyang University)
  • 이성수 (순천향대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실 및 산업의학연구소) ;
  • 김남수 (순천향대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실 및 산업의학연구소) ;
  • 김화성 (순천향대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실 및 산업의학연구소) ;
  • 안규동 (순천향대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실 및 산업의학연구소) ;
  • 이병국 (순천향대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실 및 산업의학연구소)
  • Received : 2004.10.20
  • Accepted : 2005.08.01
  • Published : 2005.08.26
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of lead biomarkers including bone lead on neurobehavioral test in lead workers, 652 lead workers without any occupational exposure to organic solvent, mercury and arsenic were agreed to participate this study. For the control subjects 102 non-occupationally lead exposed blue collar workers in general manufacturing industries were also joined this study. All study subjects joined this study with written informed consent. The study variables of lead exposure were blood and patella lead. For the general characteristics of study subjects, standardized questionnaire regarding age, sex, past disease history, job duration, body mass index (BMI), drinking and smoking habit were provided. For the past history of neurotoxicity related diseases, all study subjects were interviewed by qualified occupational health physician. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Compared with controls without occupational lead exposure, lead exposed subjects had worse performance on all tests(p<0.05). 2. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, job duration, education level, BMI, smoking and drinking status), the signs of the regression coefficients for blood lead were negative for 13 of the 14 tests. Blood lead was a significant predictor of poorer scores on 8 tests (simple reaction time(ms & root MSD), Trail-Making Test B, Digit Symbol Substitution, Purdue Pegboard assembly, Digit Span Test, Benton Visual Retention, and Purdue pegboard both hand). 3. After adjustment for covariates (age, sex, job duration, education level, BMI, smoking and drinking status), the signs of the regression coefficients for patella lead were negative for 12 of the 14 tests. Patella lead was a significant predictor of poorer scores on 8 tests (simple reaction time(ms). Purdue Pegboard assembly, Digit Span Test, Benton Visual Retention. Pursuit Aiming rest (no. of correct & no. of incorrect), Purdue pegboard non-dominant hand and both hand). With above results, blood lead and patella lead were associated with poorer performance of neurobehavioral tests. In addition, patella lead was confirmed to be better predictor of manual dexterity test in neurobehavioral test battery in lead workers

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국학술진흥재단

References

  1. 강성규, 정호근, 홍정표, 김기웅, 조영숙, 유기용제 폭로 근로자들에 대한 신경행동 검사에 관한 연구. 예방의학회지 1993;26(2):210-221
  2. 이종영, 이채용, 김지숙, 이상재, 박완섭 등. 브라운 제조회사 산화납 취급 근로자들의 신경행동적 영향. 대한산업의학회지 1997;9(2):208-216
  3. Balbus-Kornfeld JM, Stewart W. Bolla KI, Schwartz BS. Cumulative exposure to inorganic lead and neurobehaviroal test performanc in adults; An epidemiological review. Ouccp Environ Med 1995;52:2-12 https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.52.1.2
  4. Baker EL. Neurologic and behavioral disorders. In Levy BS, Wegman DH eds., Occupational health; Recognition and prevention of work-related disease. Boston, Little Brown Co., 1982
  5. Baker EL, Feldrnan RG, White RA, Harley JP, Niles CA, et al. Occupational lead toxicity; A behavioral and electrophysiological evaluation. Study design and year one results. Br J Ind Med 1984;41:352-361
  6. Bleecker ML, Lindgren KN, Ford DP. Differential contribution of current and cumulative indices of lead dose to neuropsychological performance by age. Neurology 1997;48:639-645 https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.48.3.639
  7. Fernandez FJ. Micromethod for lead determination in whole blood by atomic absorption with use of graphite furnace. Clin Chem 1975;21:555-561
  8. Hanninen H, Aition A. Kovala T. Occupational exposure to lead and neuropsychologiwl dydfunction. Occup Environ Med 1998;55:202-209 https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.55.3.202
  9. Johnson BL. Advances in neurobehavioral toxicology. Michigan : Lewis Publishers, 1989;pp211-213
  10. Lee BK. The role of biological monitoring in the health management of lead-exposed workers. Toxicol Lett 1999:108(2): 149-160 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4274(99)00083-1
  11. Schwartz BS, Stewart WF, Todd AC, Links JM. Predictors of dimercaptosuccinic acid chelatable lead and tibial lead in former organolead manufacturing workers. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1999;56(1): 22-29 https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.56.1.22
  12. Schwartz BS, Lee BK, Lee GS. Stewart WE Lee SS, et al. Associations of blood lead, dimercaptosuccinic acidchelatable lead, and tibia lead with neurobehavioral test scores in South Korean lead workers. Am J Epidemiol. 2001;153(5):453-64 https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/153.5.453
  13. Stewart WF. Schwartz BS, Simon D. Neurobehavioml function and tibial and chelatable lead levels in 504 former organolead workers neurology 1999;52:1610-1617 https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.52.8.1610
  14. Stokes L, Letz R, Gerr F. Neurotoxicity in young adults 20 years after childhood exposure to lead: the Bunker Hill experience. Occup Environ Med 1998;55:507-516 https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.55.8.507
  15. Todd AC, Landrigan Pl, Bloch P. Workshop on the X-ray fluorescence of lead in bone: conclusions, recommendations and summary. Neurotoxicology 1993;14(1):145-54
  16. Waldron HA. Lead poisoning in the ancient world Med Hist 1973;17:391-399 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025727300019013
  17. WHO, Field evaluation of WHO neurobehavioral core test Geneva, 1986