RESUMO
Over exposure to cadmium may produce numerous adverse health effects, including changes in the nasal mucosa. Cadmium levels were measured in blood and urine samples taken from 106 workers who were exposed to high levels of cadmium and nickel in a cadmium nickel battery plant. Pathological results were observed in 46% and 51% of the blood and urine samples respectively. A positive association was found between clinical nasal complaints and pathological levels of cadmium in blood (P = 0.006) and urine (P = 0.045) samples. All the workers underwent sinus X-rays and 63% of them were abnormal. No correlation was found between pathological sinus X-rays and pathological cadmium level in blood and urine samples. A positive correlation was found between clinical nasal complaints and abnormal sinus X-rays. The prevalence of sinus X-ray abnormalities in an asymptomatic general population is 33% as compared to 63% in our study. This difference is highly significant statistically (P < 0.0001). Our result shows a possible harmful effect of cadmium on the paranasal sinuses.
Assuntos
Cádmio/análise , Doenças Nasais/induzido quimicamente , Doenças Profissionais/induzido quimicamente , Exposição Ocupacional/análise , Doenças dos Seios Paranasais/induzido quimicamente , Adulto , Cádmio/efeitos adversos , Cádmio/sangue , Cádmio/urina , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Mucosa Nasal/efeitos dos fármacos , Doenças Profissionais/diagnóstico por imagem , Doenças dos Seios Paranasais/diagnóstico por imagem , Seios Paranasais/diagnóstico por imagem , Seios Paranasais/efeitos dos fármacos , RadiografiaRESUMO
One hundred fifty-two workers who had been exposed to different levels of cadmium (Cd) absorption (blood Cd mean 16.34 micrograms/L, median 11.0 micrograms/L) in a factory making nickel-cadmium batteries were studied. A physical evaluation, as well as blood and urine cadmium and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and other routine laboratory tests were performed in order to assess the relationship between different levels of exposure to occupational cadmium and potential cadmium-induced renal damage and other adverse health effects. We found significant correlation between levels of cadmium exposure and a selected group of symptoms and signs. The best predictor of this group of symptoms and signs was an indicator called internal dose index (Cd x exposure time). This indicator appears as the strongest, even after control by confounding factors, such as age and smoking. It is concluded that this index can be used for biological monitoring.
