Department of Occupational Health, School of Health and Nutrition and Research Center for Health Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
J Occup Health. 2012;54(5):376-82. doi: 10.1539/joh.12-0029-fs. Epub 2012 Aug 2.
Exposure to n-hexane, a neurotoxic solvent, has been associated with sensorimotor polyneuropathy, both in occupationally exposed workers and in glue-sniffing addicts. The present study was carried out to ascertain whether exposure to sub-TLV levels of n-hexane was associated with electrophysiological abnormalities and to determine if these possible abnormalities have any correlations with parameters such as the biological exposure index (BEI) of this neurotoxic chemical, workers' TWA exposure to n-hexane and/or duration of employment.
Twenty-seven asymptomatic male workers from 6 shoemaking workshops were studied and compared with a group of 20 age- and sex-matched normal controls with no history of exposure to any neurotoxic agent. They underwent physical examinations as well as conventional needle electromyographic examinations and sensory and motor nerve conduction studies of upper and lower extremities. The TWA exposure to n-hexane and urinary concentration of free 2,5-hexanedione were also determined. Data were analyzed using version 16.0 of the SPSS/PC statistical package.
The TWA exposure to n-hexane was estimated to be 83.2 mg/m(3). Electrophysiological studies showed that the amplitudes of sensory nerve action potential (SAP) for median and sural nerves were significantly lower in exposed subjects than in unexposed normal controls. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between these decreases and the urinary concentration of free 2,5-hexanedione.
The significant decrements in SAP amplitudes for the median and sural nerves may be considered as appropriate indicators for early detection of n-hexane-induced peripheral neuropathy in asymptomatic workers with current exposure to sub-TLV levels of n-hexane.
接触神经毒性溶剂正己烷与职业暴露工人和胶水中毒者的感觉运动多发性神经病有关。本研究旨在确定接触亚 TLV 水平的正己烷是否与电生理学异常相关，并确定这些可能的异常是否与该神经毒性化学物质的生物暴露指数（BEI）、工人 TWA 暴露于正己烷和/或就业时间等参数有关。
研究了来自 6 家制鞋车间的 27 名无症状男性工人，并与 20 名年龄和性别匹配、无任何神经毒性物质接触史的正常对照组进行比较。他们接受了体格检查、常规针电极肌电图检查以及上肢和下肢感觉和运动神经传导研究。还测定了 TWA 暴露于正己烷和尿中游离 2,5-己二酮的浓度。使用 SPSS/PC 统计软件包版本 16.0 分析数据。
TWA 暴露于正己烷的估计值为 83.2mg/m3。电生理学研究表明，暴露组的正中神经和腓肠神经感觉神经动作电位（SAP）的振幅明显低于未暴露的正常对照组。此外，还发现这些下降与尿中游离 2,5-己二酮的浓度之间存在显著相关性。
正中神经和腓肠神经 SAP 振幅的显著降低可被视为早期发现当前接触亚 TLV 水平正己烷的无症状工人中由正己烷引起的周围神经病的适当指标。
