To investigate the effect of lead on the ranal function, 435 male lead workers in storage battery industries, seconday smelting and plastic stabilizer industries, and 212 male workers who were not exposed occupationally to lead were studied.
While
blood
urea nitrogen (BUN; urease method), serum creatinine (S-Cr; Folin-W method), serum uric acid (S-Ua; uricase method), urine protein (U-TP; Tonein-TP) were selected as indices of renal function, blood lead (PbB; AAS method), zinc protoporphyrin in
blood
(ZPP; hematofluorometer method), δ-aminolevulinic acid in urine (DALA; Tomokuni method), hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Ht) were selected as indices of lead absorption.
The mean values of indices of renal function generally were increased by ageing in both exposed and non-exposed group.
While in exposed group only the mean values of BUN was significantly increased by the level of PbB and ZPP among various renal function indices, the mean values of BUN and U-TP were increased significantly by the level of PbB and ZPP in the whole
study
population.
The frequencies of workers whose value o renal function indices were over the normal criteria (BUN>20mg/dl; S-Cr 1.2mg/dl; S-Va>7.0mg/dl; U-TP>7.0mg/dl) by the exposure condition and the level of lead absorption in terms of PbB, ZPP and DALA were
calculated. Frequencies of over the normal criteria of BUN and U-TP were higher in the exposed group than that of non-exposed group, and that of S-Cr was lower in the non-exposed group than exposed group in the contrary, but there was no
difference
that
of S-Ua between exposed and non-exposed group.
Age adjusted odds ratio of over the normal criteria of BUN, U-TP and ABN (number of workers of one more over criteria in renal function indies) of exposed group were significantly higher with the values of 2.5, 3.0 and 1.5 respectively than that
of
non-exposed group. The odds ratio of renal function indices were generally increased by PbB and ZPP levels, but the increases were not statistically significant.
In conclusion, it was confirmed that renal function changes can be induced by the chronic undue high lead exposure and the changes of BUN and U-TP were more dependent to lead exposure. The addition of renal function test such as BUN and U-TP for
the
screening test of lead workers under occupational health and safety act in Korea are highly recommended.
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