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

AX6-223
Table AX6-9.2. Effects of Lead on Biochemical Effects in Adults
Reference, Study
Location, and Period Study Description Pb Measurement Findings, Interpretation
Europe
Gennart et al. (1992)
Belgium
NR
Mohammed-Brahim
et al. (1985)
Belgium
NR
Roels and Lauwerys
(1987)
Belgium
1974–1980
Design: cross-sectional cohort
Subjects: adult battery manufacture workers
(n = 98), mean age, 37.7 yr (range 22–55);
reference group (n = 85), mean age 38.8 yr
(24–55)
Outcome measures: blood Hct, blood EP,
urine ALA
Analysis: linear regression
Design: cross-sectional cohort
Subjects: adult smelter and ceramics
manufacture workers (n = 38, 13 females);
reference subjects (n = 100) matched with
worker group by age, sex, and socioeconomic
status.
Outcome measures: blood P5N, EP, ALAD,
R/ALAD (ratio of ALAD before and after
reactivation).
Analysis: comparison of outcome measures
(ANOVA) between Pb workers and reference
group; correlation
Design: cross-sectional
Subjects: adults (n = 75, 36 females)
Outcome measures: ALAD, urinary ALA, EP
Analysis: linear regression, correlation
Blood Pb (µg/dL) mean
(SD, range):
Pb: 51.0 (8.0, 40–70)
Reference: 20.9
(11.1, 4.4–30.0)
Blood Pb (µg/dL) mean
(SD, range):
Pb: 48.5 (9.1, 27.8–66.6)
Reference: 14.3
(6.7, 5.6–33.6)
Urine Pb (µg/g creatinine)
mean (SD, range):
Pb: 84.0 (95.9, 21.8–587)
Reference: 10.5
(8.2, 1.7–36.9)
Blood Pb (µg/dL) range:
adult males: 10–60
adult females: 7–53
Significant association between increasing blood Pb concentration
and increasing (log) blood EP (∀ = 0.06, ∃ = 0.019, r = 0.87,
p = 0.0001) or (log) urine ALA (∀ = 0.37, ∃ = 0.008, r = 0.64,
p < 0.0001)
(No apparent analysis of covariables)
Significantly lower (p = NR) P5N in Pb workers (males or females,
or combined) compared to corresponding reference groups.
Correlations with blood Pb:
log P5N r = −0.79 (p < 0.001)
log ALAD r = −0.97 (p = NR)
R/ALAD r = −0.94 (p < 0.001)
log EP r = 0.86 (p = NR)
Correlations with urine Pb:
log P5N r = −0.74 (p = NR)
log ALAD r = −0.79 (p = NR)
R/ALAD r = −0.84 (p < 0.001)
log EP r = 0.80 (p = NR)
Linear regression for EP (log-transformed) and blood Pb
concentration:
adult male (n = 39): ∀ = 1.41, ∃ = 0.014, r = 0.74, p < 0.001
adult female (n = 36): ∀ = 1.23, ∃ = 0.027, r = 0.81, p < 0.001
Linear regression for ALA (log-transformed) and blood Pb
concentration:
adult male (n = 39): ∀ = 0.37, ∃ = 0.006, r = 0.41, p < 0.01
adult female (n = 36): ∀ = 0.15, ∃ = 0.015, r = 0.72, p < 0.001