A study on renal function indices in lead exposed male workers

Lee, Sung Soo; Hwangbo, Young; Ahn, Kyu Dong; Lee, Byung Kook; Kim, Joung Soon

Abstract

The influence of lead exposure on renal function was studied. Eighty nine lead exposed workers who worked in 2 storage battery factories, and seventy one control workers were chosen for this study. Blood lead(pbB) and zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood(ZPP) were selected as indicators of lead exposure. As indicators of renal function, urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), serum creatinine(S-Cr), total protein in urine(U-Tp),and serum uric acid(S-Ua) were selected. The results obtained were as follows: 1. while the mean values of lead exposure indicators of lead workers were significantly different from non-exposed ones, the mean values of NAG, U-TP, BUN and S-Cr of renal function indicators of exposed were also significantly different from non-exposed but their mean values were all within normal limits. 2. BUN, logarithmic U-TP, logarithmic NAG and S-Cr showed statistically significant correlation with pbB. 3. The proportion of workers whose values of renal function indicators were over the normal limits(NAG7.5 U/g cr; U-TP 10.9mg/dl; BuN20 mg/dl; S-Cr1.2 mg/dl; S-Ua7.0 mg/dl) by the level of lead absorption in terms of pbB and ZPP were calculated. The proportion of workers with over the normal limits of U-TP among total workers showed the dose-response relationship. when age is adjusted, U-TP showed significantly strong dose-response relationship with the level of pbB and ZPP.