Air Quality Criteria for Lead Volume II of II - (NEPIS)(EPA) - US ...

AX6-92
Table AX6-4.2 (cont’d). Renal Effects of Lead in the Occupational Population
Reference, Study
Location, and
Period Study Description Pb Measurement Findings, Interpretation
Asia (cont’d)
Endo et al. (1990)
Study location not
provided; authors
from Japan
1987
Endo et al. (1993)
Study location and
date not provided;
authors from Japan
39 male workers.
7 female workers (none directly exposed to Pb).
Secondary Pb refinery, mean job duration = 10.5 yrs
Renal outcomes = BUN, serum creatinine and uric acid,
urinary NAG, and tubular reabsorption of phosphate.
99 male Pb workers.
Renal outcomes = serum creatinine and serum and urine
alpha-1-microglobulin.
Mean blood Pb
Ranged from 24.1 to
67.6 µg/dL (males)
19.6 µg/dL (females)
Other Pb measures included
urinary Pb, deltaaminolevulinic
acid, and
coproporphyrin.
Median blood Pb
Ranged from 7.9 µg/dL in
category I consisting of 16
office workers who did not
work directly with Pb to
76.2 µg/dL in 16 workers in
the highest exposure group
(category V).
Significant correlations of blood Pb and delta-amino-levulinic
acid with BUN and NAG were observed. The correlation
between blood Pb and NAG was dependent on a small
number of workers whose blood Pb levels were above
80 µg/dL.
Limitations include absence of adjustment in statistical
analysis, small sample size.
Median urinary alpha-1-microglobulin significantly higher in
categories III–V compared to the low exposure group of
office workers. This was also the only renal outcome to be
significantly correlated with blood Pb (Spearman rank
correlation).
After alpha-1-microglobulin adjusted for age and blood Pb
(by stratifying); few significant differences noted. However,
analysis approach resulted in substantial loss of power.