[Risk assessment of nerve conduction velocity in workers exposed to lead].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the dose-effect relationship between lead exposure and nerve conduction velocity, and to assess risk characteristics of nerve conduction velocity induced by lead exposure.


METHODS
The external dose, internal dose (blood lead, urine lead) and the conduction velocity of peripheral nerve were examined. The benchmark dose of a population exposed to occupational lead was estimated to develop risk assessment of nerve conduction velocity in worker exposed to lead by use of BMDS (version 1.3.3). The BMDL in terms of blood lead and urine lead was calculated.


RESULTS
There was correlation between blood lead and urine lead. The sense nerve conduction velocity was decreased significantly in the group of lead exposure workers (P < 0.05). The BMDLs-05 for median nerve conduct velocity, ulnar nerve conduction velocity, and superficial peroneal nerve conduction velocity in terms of blood lead were 456.99, 332.36 and 468.38 microg/L respectively; the BMDLs-05 in terms of urine lead were 14.1, 9.2 and 13.6 microg/gCr respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The internal dose is the better index to reflect the level of lead exposure. Blood lead is identified as a specific and sensitive biomarker for sense nerve conduction velocity reduction. Ulnar nerve conduction velocity can be used as highly sensitive biomarkers to screen the high risk population of lead exposure.
Zheng
Guang
G
Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Lei
Li-jian
LJ
Li
Wei-hua
WH
Chang
Xiu-li
XL
Jin
Tai-yi
TY
Zhou
Zhi-jun
ZJ
Tian
Li-ting
LT
Li
Hui-qi
HQ
Pan
Xiao-hai
XH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D007854:Lead