title: Depression of serum cholinesterase activity as an indicator for insecticide exposure--consideration of the analytical and biological variations.
abstract: Interest has recently been shown in the use of serum cholinesterase levels as a marker for chronic organophosphate insecticide exposure. Interpretation of the results must, however, take into account both long-term biological and analytical variations. The intraindividual variation of serum cholinesterase activity for 12 laboratory workers was 4.3%. The variation was much smaller than the interindividual variation of the whole population (20%). Based on the homogeneity of the intraindividual variance, it is possible to show the level of minimal decrease in enzyme activity which constitutes a departure from "normal".
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood*; D003124:Colorimetry; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D002802:Cholinesterases