Foo S C, Jeyaratnam J, Koh D
Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine, National University of Singapore.
Br J Ind Med. 1990 Jul;47(7):480-4. doi: 10.1136/oem.47.7.480.
Neurobehavioural tests were undertaken by 30 female workers exposed to toluene and matched controls with low occupational exposure to toluene. The environmental air levels (TWA) of toluene was 88 ppm for the exposed workers and 13 ppm for the controls. The toluene in blood concentrations for the exposed workers was 1.25 mg/l and for the controls 0.16 mg/l. Statistically significant differences between workers exposed to toluene and controls in neurobehavioural tests measuring manual dexterity (grooved peg board), visual scanning (trail making, visual reproduction, Benton visual retention, and digit symbol), and verbal memory (digit span) were observed. Further, the performance at each of these tests was related to time weighted average exposure concentrations of air toluene. The workers exposed to toluene had no clinical symptoms or signs. The question arises as to whether these impairments in neurobehavioural tests are reversible or whether they could be a forerunner of more severe damage.
对30名接触甲苯的女工以及职业性低水平接触甲苯的配对对照组进行了神经行为测试。接触组工人环境空气中甲苯的时间加权平均浓度（TWA）为88 ppm，对照组为13 ppm。接触组工人血液中甲苯浓度为1.25 mg/l，对照组为0.16 mg/l。在测量手部灵活性（有槽钉板测试）、视觉扫描（连线测验、视觉复制、本顿视觉保持测验和数字符号替换测验）以及言语记忆（数字广度测验）的神经行为测试中，观察到接触甲苯的工人与对照组之间存在统计学上的显著差异。此外，这些测试中的每项表现均与空气中甲苯的时间加权平均暴露浓度相关。接触甲苯的工人没有临床症状或体征。问题在于这些神经行为测试中的损伤是可逆的，还是可能是更严重损害的先兆。
