title: Function of heart muscle in people chronically exposed to lead.
abstract: Rhythm and conductivity disturbances in heart muscle, change in autonomic system function and raised arterial blood pressure have been described in workers exposed to lead. They may be accompanied by changes in echocardiography test and accordingly we undertook this investigation. The study population included employees of zinc and lead steelworks in the south of Poland that were divided into 2 groups: exposed to lead compounds (n=88) and the reference group - administration workers (n=55) with normal levels of lead concentration in blood (PbB) and zinc protoporphyrin in blood. Left ventricular enddiastolic dimension (LVDd), interventricular septal and posterior wall thickness, right ventricular diastolic, left atrium diameter, aortic diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) in echocardiograms were performed. Left ventricular mass LVM (g) and left ventricular mass index LVMI (g/m(2)) was calculated. In the group exposed to lead, EF decreased by 3 %, increased LVDd by 6 %, and raised LVM by 11 % and LVMI by 10 %. There was a positive relation between PbB and LVDd (R=0.18) and between PbB and LVM (R=0.14). Decreased EF, enlargement of the left ventricle and raised left ventricle mass in research undertaken, may be a result of raised arterial blood tension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Zabrze, Poland. skasperczyk@slam.katowice.pl
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasperczyk
authors.forename: Brygida
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Przywara-Chowaniec
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasperczyk
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rykaczewska-Czerwińska
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wodniecki
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Birkner
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dziwisz
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krauze-Wielicka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology