Clinician follow-up of children screened for lead poisoning.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed clinicians' compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for follow-up of children with blood lead (BPb) levels of 0.48 mumol/L (10 micrograms/dL) or higher.


METHODS
Clinicians' success at follow-up was determined for 3 BPb ranges: > or = 0.97 mumol/L, 0.73 through 0.92 mumol/L, and 0.48 through 0.68 mumol/L (> or = 20 micrograms/dL, 15-19 micrograms/dL, and 10-14 micrograms/dL, respectively).


RESULTS
A total of 410 children with elevated BPb levels were followed over a 12-month period; within 4 months, 71% of those with initial levels of 0.97 mumol/L or greater were retested and 57% and 34% of children with initial BPb levels of 0.73 through 0.92 mumol/L and 0.48 through 0.68 mumol/L, respectively, were retested.


CONCLUSIONS
Follow-up of children with elevated BPb levels is inadequate within an urban ambulatory care network.
Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
M
M
Markowitz
J F
JF
Rosen
I
I
Clemente
D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009519:New York City; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population