Rojas M, Guevara H, Rincón R, Rodríguez M, Olivet C
Centro de Investigaciones Toxicológicas, Universidad de Carabobo (CITUC), Valencia, Venezuela.
Acta Cient Venez. 2000;51(1):32-8.
The aim of this investigation was to establish mercury (Hg) health effects on dentists and dental assistants, its relationship with exposure conditions and the potential renal damage Hg-related. The total population was 66 people, with a sample of 37 (56%), 22 dentists (59.5%, 19 male, 3 female) and 15 dental assistants (40.5%, all female). This was accomplished by an interview, Hg in urine (Hg-U) and N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase activity in urine (NAG-U). Average values of Hg-U for dentists were 22.4 +/- 6.4 micrograms/g creatinine and 22.2 +/- 6.1 micrograms/g creatinine for dental assistants NAG-U average values were 2.9 +/- 3 U/L and 5.2 +/- 8.1 U/L respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between these averages (p > 0.05). There was no correlation between the quantity of amalgam prepared and working hours with Hg-U and NAG-U. Most frequent symptoms referred by dentists were: irritability (54.5%), cephalalgia (45.4%), arthralgias (40.9%), and the ones more referred by assistants were arthralgias (53.3%), irritability (46.7%) and cephalalgia (46.7%). It was not found a significative risk of having them among these groups. There is a need for further investigations including environmental monitoring of Hg, clinical evaluation and neurobehavioural tests to detect early effects. It is important to enforce personal safety measures to control the exposure.
本调查的目的是确定汞（Hg）对牙医和牙科助手的健康影响、其与接触条件的关系以及汞相关的潜在肾脏损害。总共有66人，样本为37人（56%），其中22名牙医（59.5%，19名男性，3名女性）和15名牙科助手（40.5%，均为女性）。通过访谈、尿汞（Hg-U）和尿N-乙酰-β-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶活性（NAG-U）来完成此项调查。牙医的尿汞平均值为22.4±6.4微克/克肌酐，牙科助手的尿汞平均值为22.2±6.1微克/克肌酐；NAG-U的平均值分别为2.9±3 U/L和5.2±8.1 U/L。这些平均值之间无统计学显著差异（p>0.05）。制备汞合金的数量和工作时间与尿汞及NAG-U之间无相关性。牙医提及的最常见症状为：易怒（54.5%）、头痛（45.4%）、关节痛（40.9%），助手提及的最常见症状为关节痛（53.3%）、易怒（46.7%）和头痛（46.7%）。在这些群体中未发现出现这些症状的显著风险。需要进一步开展调查，包括对汞的环境监测、临床评估和神经行为测试，以检测早期影响。实施个人安全措施以控制接触非常重要。
