STUDY OF THE NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS AMONG WORKERS EXPOSED TO LEAD

Abstract

The present work aimed to evaluate the neuromuscular disorders among workers exposed to lead, and to investigate the electrophysiological abnormalities among workers with clinically proven neuromuscular abnormalities. To accomplish these aims, a cross sectional descriptive approach was selected. The target population was lead exposed workers. A total of 167 j male workers chronically exposed to lead were randomly selected according to the criteria of selection. The workers were working in two factories located in Kafr El-Dawar and in EI-Sa'a in Alexandria. In addition, a control group of twenty-five healthy adult males were included. The exposed workers were divided into three groups according to their BLLs. Several tools were used to record data, namely interview schedule, sheet for clinical data and recording the results of the screening tests . Data collection was carried out by interviewing, carrying several • screening tests for monitoring of lead level in blood and urine, measurement of. hemoglobin concentration, hematocrite value, level of serum calcium, creatinine uric acid, and the urinary ~ aminolevulinic acid in addition to the electrophysiological study. The mean ages of the workers were 44.441±6.65, 45.08±6.55, and 44.56±5.18 years for groups I, II and III respectively. No significant difference was observed between the mean ages of the worker groups and the control cases (mean 43.04±6.4 years). The expose workers were divided into three groups according to their BLL. The study revealed high significant statistical difference between the BLL of the exposed workers and controls. The mean BLL of the exposed workers was 21.87±5.92 µg/dl, 37.63±3.35 g/dl, and 52.35±7.38