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Document ID (ISN)51694
CIS number 89-804
ISSN - Serial title 0355-3140 - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
Year 1988
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Tuppurainen M., Wägar G., Kurppa K., Sakari W., Wambugu A., Fröseth B., Alho J.
Title Thyroid function as assessed by routine laboratory tests of workers with long-term lead exposure
Bibliographic information June 1988, Vol.14, No.3, p.175-180. Illus. 17 ref.
Abstract Thyroid function was studied in 176 male workers occupationally exposed to lead. The mean blood lead concentration of the workers was 2.70 (SD 1.15, range 0.70-6.45) µmol/L. The mean duration of lead exposure was 7.6 (range 0.1-20) years. The total thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (T3), and thyrotropin concentrations in serum were similar in the workers in the low and high blood lead categories. In regression equations the duration of lead exposure had a weak but significant negative association with T4 and FT4, and this association was particularly pronounced when the analyses were restricted to workers with the most intense lead exposure over time. Thus, the results suggest that thyroid function might be depressed as a result of intense long-term lead exposure.
Descriptors (primary) lead; biological and medical tests; battery and dry cell manufacture; thyroid function
Descriptors (secondary) developing countries; Kenya
Document type D - Periodical articles
Subject(s) Toxic and dangerous substances
Broad subject area(s) Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Browse category(ies) Inorganic substances
Manufacturing of electrical appliances and equipment
Lead and compounds