• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.1009-1015
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• 2005

We encountered two children with lead poisoning who were administered herb medicinal pills recommended by their clergyman. These patients presented anemia and severe coliky abdominal pain, but no neurologic symptoms. For this reason, they were initially misdiagnosed with gastrointestinal hemorrhagic disease. However, we got a clue that they took herb medicinal pills. Finally, based on the assay of blood lead level, we made a correct diagnosis of lead poisoning in these patients. These patients underwent chelating therapy. Subsequently, the concentration of blood lead was decreased. Finally, we drew a conclusion that the possibility of lead poisoning must be considered in children who complained of colicky abdominal pain accompanying anemia. Here, we report two pediatric cases of lead poisoning with a review of literature.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2001

A 23-year-old female has visited university hospital for abdominal colic and constipation. She took home-made herb pills for 15 days as a traditional remedy for skin eczema. On clinical examinations, conjunctiva was pale, sclera was icteric and lead line was visible on gingiva. Laboratory examinations are as follows; hemoglobin was 8.6g/$d{\ell}$, reticulocyte was 4.2% and there was basophilic stippling of erythrocytes in peripheral blood smear. Blood level of lead was elevated as $69{\mu}g/d{\ell}$. The herb pills contained 3.32% lead, with cumulative dose of lead over 3.2g. The herb pills were manufactured by a 70-year-old man who was not aware of the health hazard of lead. We suppose that he made herb pills with the imported raw materials from China that contained a high percentage of lead.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.422-430
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• 2023

Objectives: Prolactin is vital for breastfeeding and milk production, and its secretion is influenced by factors related to the mother, infant, and environment. To date, no study has concurrently investigated the correlation of these factors with serum prolactin levels during lactation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the correlations among maternal and infant factors, lead exposure, and serum prolactin levels during lactation. Methods: A cross-sectional approach was employed in Surabaya, Indonesia, among 110 exclusively lactating mothers. The mothers' daily diets were determined using multiple 24-hour recalls, while blood lead levels were measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Serum prolactin levels were assessed using the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. For bivariate analysis, we employed the Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests, while for multivariate analysis, we utilized multiple linear regression. Results: The average serum prolactin level of the lactating mothers was 129.19±88.96 ng/mL. Positive correlations were found between serum prolactin levels and breastfeeding frequency (p<0.001), protein intake (p<0.001), and calcium intake (p=0.011) but had negative correlation with blood lead levels (p<0.001) and vitamin B6 intake (p=0.003). Additionally, prolactin levels were not significantly associated with maternal age; parity; intake of calories, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, folic acid, magnesium, or iron; infant age; or infant sex. Conclusions: Breastfeeding frequency had a stronger positive relationship with serum prolactin levels than protein and calcium intake. However, lead exposure was associated with reduced serum prolactin levels during lactation. Consequently, specific interventions from policymakers are necessary to manage breastfeeding in mothers exposed to lead.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.693-700
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to determine whether workers at a factory next to a lead recycling factory in Pusan, were affected by lead contamination. The mean air lead concentration of lead recycling factory was $0.21mg/m^3(TWA=0.05mg/m^3)$. Thirty-nine male workers of Factory A, Cr. plating factory next to the lead recycling factory were exposed group and a comparison group, 62 male workers of Factory B were selected from another Cr. plating factory about 8.5km away from lead recycling factory. Air lead concentration of each workplace was checked for 4 times from August f to August 20 in 1995 by low volume air sampler. Each subject was interviewed about age, life-style, smoking, work history, and residence etc, and venous blood was drawn for lead measurement by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. We have observed that air lead concentration and blood lead concentration of Factory A was higher than Factory $B(2.6{\pm}1.6\;Vs.\;1.2{\pm}0.2{\mu}g/m^3,\;14.9{\pm}1.6\;Vs.\;12.2{\pm}1.6{\mu}g/dl)$. We believe that other environmental lead sources such as transportation and residence did not affect air lead and blood lead concentration differences of both factory. We concluded that high air lead and blood lead concentration of Factory A were caused by lead contamination generated by the neighboring lead recycling factory.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2003

The study subjects included the workers who were estimated to have been exposed in a low density of lead-laden glaze from pottery manufacturers. They were evaluated in terms of PbB and PbU as indices of lead concentration in the body, and Hb, Hct, ALAD, and FEP as indices of biochemical lead poisoning. Consequently, the study results revealed the relationship between each of indices and its effectiveness to indicate the degree of occupational lead exposure. 1. The mean of PbB was $22.85{\;}{\mu}g/d{\ell}$(range; $4.2~44.7{\;}{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) and PbU $45.69{\mu}g/d{\ell}$(range; $6.7~87.5{\mu}g/d{\ell}$), to indicate the level of lead exposure in the subjects. 2. While there was a high, linear correlation between PbB, PbU and FEP (r=0.835, r=0.855, respectively), a low correlation existed between PbB and ALAD(r=-0.240). 3. While there was a high, linear correlation between PbU and FEP(r=0.825), a low correlation existed between PbU and ALAD(r=-0.352). The above results suggest that FEP can be used as a highly useful biochemical index of lead poisoning, based on its high correlation with PbB and PbU indicating lead concentration in the body.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.10b
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• pp.215-216
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• 1997

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.111-114
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• 1982

To determine Pb level in blood, we usually .used to pull out about 5ml blood from venous vessel and this sample was digested with acids to decompose organic matter and then determined the Pb contents by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer with flame. But recent trend in quan titating Pb in small amount of sample is very much recommended in clinical chemistry specially pediatrics, and industrial hygiene and occupational health area. Authors tried to determine Pb contents in small amount blood of $25{\mu}l$ by using capillary tube method and got the possibility of determination of ng amount of Pb in $25{\mu}l$ whole blood sample without any pretreatment of sample.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.987-998
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• 2014

The primary purpose of this paper is to derive a benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL) of lead for the attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) based on a longitudinal cohort data set which is referred to as CHEER data set. The CHEER data were recently recruited from the Ministry of Environment of S. Korea to investigate the effect of environment on children's health We first confirm the correlation of ADHD with the blood lead level using a linear mixed effect model. We report from the longitudinal characteristic of CHEER data that ADHD scores tend to have "regression to the mean". A dose-response curve of blood lead level with ADHD being the end point is derived and from this dose-response curve a few BMDLs are derived based on corresponding assumptions on the benchmark region.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.329-339
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• 2019

The National Institute of Environmental Research (3rd KONEHs) conducted a survey of 280 residents in Ulsan, Suwon and Asan, and the concentration of heavy metals in the blood and urine were also analyzed. In case of blood lead concentration, Ulsan $2.27{\mu}g/dl$, Suwon $2.08{\mu}g/dl$, and Asan $1.75{\mu}g/dl$, the high peak in Ulsan, and the low peak in Asan. In case of cotinine concentration, Ulsan smoking($609.16{\mu}g/g{\_}ct$) is higher than nonsmoking($74.07{\mu}g/g{\_}ct$), as Suwon and Asan smoking($416.72{\mu}g/g{\_}ct$, $903.21{\mu}g/g{\_}ct$) is higher than nonsmoking($72.72{\mu}g/g{\_}ct$, $18.06{\mu}g/g{\_}ct$), smoking group is higher than nonsmoking group in all areas revealed statistically significant correlation(p<0.01). In considering results synthetically, these study results are an aid to constructing environmental health science-side heavy metal management measure education programs for normal residents.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.482-492
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• 2012

Objectives: The main purpose of this study is to produce background data which can be compared with data on vulnerable areas such as industrial complexes in Ulsan, SihwaBanwol, Gwangyang, Yeosu, Pohang, Cheongju and Daesan in Korea. Methods: This study was performed on 1,007 local residents in Gangneung using personal questionnaires and medical check-up. Environmental pollutants including heavy metals in blood and urine were analyzed and the results are as follows. Results: According to the results of medical check-up, 705 subjects were "Normal (A and B)", 232 subjects were "Disease doubtful (R1)" and 70 subjects were "High blood pressure or Diabetes doubtful (R2)". Regarding geometric mean concentration, blood lead was 1.57 ${\mu}g/dL$, urine cadmium was 0.82 ${\mu}g/g-cr$, urine mercury was 0.98 ${\mu}g/g-cr$ and urine arsenic was 15.78 ${\mu}g/g-cr$. In the analysis of 11 kinds of VOCs in blood, vinyl chloride, 1,3-butadiene and dichloroethylene were not detected, while the detection rate of other chemicals was above 70% except chloroform(49.7%) and trichloroethylene(19.0%). In analysis of 16 kinds of PAHs in blood, 10 kinds showed more than 80% in detection rate. Also, detection rate of 4 kinds of PCBs in blood ranged 52 to 78%. Conclusions: Compared with industrial compelxes, the concentration of blood lead was lower, while urine cadmium and mercury levels were similar. Also, urine arsenic ranged at a significant level. Further study is required to find the cause of regional differences in concentrations of environmental pollutants.