Saddik Basema, Nuwayhid Iman, Williamson Ann, Black Deborah
Department of Environmental Health, The American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Neurotoxicology. 2003 Aug;24(4-5):733-9. doi: 10.1016/S0161-813X(03)00053-6.
The potential for exposure to neurotoxicants in Lebanon is high, especially in the absence of strict control and regulatory measures in workplaces. Children working in mechanical and other trade workshops are at significant risk of exposure to organic solvents and as a result at significant risk to develop clinical and subclinical signs of neurotoxicity. This study investigated the association between exposure to solvents and neurobehavioral performance of 10-17 years old working children in comparison to groups of non-exposed working children and non-exposed children at school. A convenience cross-sectional sample of 100 working children (10-17 years) exposed to organic solvents at work, a positive control of 100 non-solvent exposed working children, and a negative control of 100 non-working, non-exposed school children were recruited to the study. The exposed and non-exposed groups were, as far as possible, frequency matched on geographic location of residence and on age. Neurotoxic effects were assessed through a questionnaire and the child's performance on a battery of neurobehavioral tests, which were specifically selected for a non-English speaking population and were tailored to assess the specific modalities of the central nervous system commonly known to be affected by the neurotoxicants identified. Children in the non-exposed groups (working and non-working) performed better than the working exposed group on reaction speed for the choice reaction time, symbol-digit and dual task tracking tests, but accuracy of performance was not affected on these tests. Children in the working exposed group also complained of more headaches, loss of concentration, memory deficits and higher irritability. This study identifies an association between exposure to solvents and lower neurobehavioral performance. Response speed appears to be particularly affected in solvent exposed working children.
在黎巴嫩，接触神经毒物的可能性很高，尤其是在工作场所缺乏严格管控措施的情况下。在机械及其他行业作坊工作的儿童面临着接触有机溶剂的重大风险，因此有出现神经毒性临床和亚临床症状的重大风险。本研究调查了接触溶剂与10至17岁工作儿童神经行为表现之间的关联，并与未接触溶剂的工作儿童组和未接触溶剂的在校儿童组进行比较。该研究招募了100名在工作中接触有机溶剂的10至17岁工作儿童作为便利抽样横断面样本、100名未接触溶剂的工作儿童作为阳性对照以及100名不工作且未接触溶剂的在校儿童作为阴性对照。尽可能使接触组和未接触组在居住地理位置和年龄上进行频率匹配。通过问卷以及儿童在一系列神经行为测试中的表现来评估神经毒性影响，这些测试是专门为非英语人群选择的，并且经过调整以评估通常已知会受到所确定神经毒物影响的中枢神经系统的特定模式。在选择反应时间、符号数字和双重任务跟踪测试的反应速度方面，未接触组（工作和非工作）中的儿童表现优于工作接触组，但这些测试中的表现准确性未受影响。工作接触组中的儿童还抱怨有更多头痛、注意力不集中、记忆缺陷和更高的易怒情绪。本研究确定了接触溶剂与较低神经行为表现之间的关联。反应速度似乎在接触溶剂的工作儿童中受到特别影响。
