Korean J Occup Environ Med.  2009 Jun;21(2):192-200.

One Case of Parkinson's Syndrome in a Shipyard Painter Exposed to Mixed Organic Solvents

Affiliations
  • 1Occupational Safety & Health Research Institute, KOSHA. euna0@dreamwiz.com

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is well-known that organic solvents can cause various neurologic toxicities, and in particular, it had been reported that Parkinson's syndrome can be caused by organic solvents.
CASE REPORT
A 53-year-old man who had worked for 13 years as a shipyard spray and brush painter and manifested with moderate cognitive disorder and was diagnosed with chronic toxic encephalopathy. We can assume he had had considerable exposure to organic solvents considering the estimates of the amounts of organic solvents in his work place. He had no specific medical history. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) showed mild cognitive deficit, depression, and anxiety. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) indicated a slightly decreased flow at the edge of the left temporal brain area, while T2 brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed no specific signs except for ischemic changes in small vessels in the periventricular and subcortical white matter. He was also diagnosed with both carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy through a neuroconductive study. Several years later, he developed progressive bradykinesia and rigidity and, later, resting tremors in the left hand. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and treated with dopaminergic agents, but there was no effect. After that, he was given deep brain stimulation, both. As a result, his tremor is improved. but, the rigidity remained. Three years later, He has continuously received dopaminergic therapy. but, he complains about tremors in both hands and more greatly reduced cognitive function.
CONCLUSION
In this case, we assumed by patient's work history and exposure estimates that he was exposed to excessive levels of organic solvents. The clinical symptoms of this patient were very similar to those from Parkinson's disease, but the psychological symptom appeared earlier than the other symptoms and there was no response to dopaminergic agents. We conclude that this case is likely Parkinson's syndrome caused by organic solvents.

Keyword

Solvents; Parkinson's syndrome

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Brain
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Deep Brain Stimulation
Depression
Dopamine Agents
Hand
Humans
Hypogonadism
Hypokinesia
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Middle Aged
Mitochondrial Diseases
MMPI
Neurotoxicity Syndromes
Ophthalmoplegia
Parkinson Disease
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Solvents
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
Tremor
Workplace
Dopamine Agents
Hypogonadism
Mitochondrial Diseases
Ophthalmoplegia
Solvents
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