Somatomedin activity before and after chelation therapy in lead-intoxicated children

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1982.10667594· OSTI ID:5706009

Rohn, R D; Hill, J R; Shelton, J E

Somatomedin activity was measured in 21 lead-intoxicated children to determine whether plumbism interferes with the processes of statural (bone) growth. Somatomedin activity was measured both by the rabbit coastal cartilage bioassay and by radioimmunoassay of somatomedin-C. Compared to values in normal children, both the bioassay and radioimmunoassay somatomedin activity was increased. The degree of body lead burden was so extensive that the 21 study children required chelation therapy. Following EDTA or BAL + EDTA chelation therapy, the overall somatomedin activity of these children with plumbism further increased significantly. In contrast, measures of body lead burden--including blood lead levels--decreased after treatment in all lead-intoxicated youngsters. We conclude that plumbism is associated with increased somatomedin activity. Hence the increased somatomedin activity may explain why clinical experience fails to find any long-term deleterious effect of saturnism on statural (bone) growth. Possible mechanisms underlying the increased somatomedin activity in the lead-intoxicated children remain to be defined.

• Research Organization: Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA
• OSTI ID: 5706009
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Vol. 37:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
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CARTILAGE
BIOASSAY
GROWTH
CHILDREN
SENSITIVITY
LEAD
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
PEPTIDES
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
BODY BURDEN
CHELATES
STIMULATION
THERAPY
AGE GROUPS
ANIMAL TISSUES
BODY
COMPLEXES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
ELEMENTS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIOASSAY
TISSUES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
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