Relationships between blood lead concentration and aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in alcoholics and workers industrially exposed to lead

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1986.9938341· OSTI ID:6989414

Bortoli, A; Fazzin, G; Marin, V; Trabuio, G; Zotti, S

Blood lead concentration (Pb-B), aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), and gamma-GT were measured in 265 workers industrially exposed to lead and in 184 patients with liver disease resulting from alcohol consumption. The first group was divided according to alcohol use, i.e., nondrinkers, moderate drinkers, and heavy drinkers. The second group was divided according to the following criteria: hepatopatic without cirrhosis, hepatopatic with compensated cirrhosis, and hepatopatic with decompensated cirrhosis. Heavy drinkers who were industrially exposed had the highest Pb-B (40.4 +/- 14.6 micrograms/dl) and the lowest ALAD (22.2 +/- 9.1 U/L). The correlations between Pb-B and ALAD show no significant change with the increase of Pb-B. In the alcoholic group, 76 patients with alcoholic liver disease without cirrhosis had the highest Pb-B (40.3-9.1 micrograms/dl) and ALAD the lowest (18.6 +/- 7.7 U/L). The negative correlation between Pb-B and log ALAD disappeared completely in individuals with Pb-B that exceeded 50 micrograms/dl, independent from the seriousness of illness.

• Research Organization: Hygiene and Prophylaxis Lab., Venezia, Italy
• OSTI ID: 6989414
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 4; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALCOHOLS
AMINO ACIDS
AMINOLEVULINIC ACID
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CORRELATIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ETHANOL
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LEAD
LIVER CIRRHOSIS
METALS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS