Waliszewska-Prosół Marta, Ejma Maria, Gać Paweł, Szymańska-Chabowska Anna, Koszewicz Magdalena, Budrewicz Sławomir, Mazur Grzegorz, Bilińska Małgorzata, Poręba Rafał
Department of Neurology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland.
Department of Hygiene, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland.
Brain Sci. 2021 Mar 10;11(3):350. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11030350.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the parameters of visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials in patients occupationally exposed to arsenic, cadmium and lead. The study group comprised 41 copper smelter and refinery workers (average age: 51.27) with occupational exposure to arsenic, cadmium and lead. The control group consisted of 36 healthy volunteers (35 men and 1 woman, aged 27-66, average age: 51.08). Neurological examination, brain imaging, and visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials were performed, and the relationship between blood Cd, Pb concentration (Cd-B, Pb-B), blood zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), and urine As concentration (As-U) were assessed. In the workers, exceedances of allowable biological concentrations were observed, with the urinary concentration of arsenic being 5.2%, the cadmium and lead in blood being 1.3%, while the case of ZnPP was 2.6%. The mean P100, relative P100, and N145 visual evoked potential (VEP) latencies were significantly longer in exposed workers than in the controls. The mean wave III and V brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) latency and the mean wave III-V and I-V interpeak latencies were longer, and the I and V amplitude was lower in the workers than the controls. In summary, occupational exposure to As, Cd, and Pb is associated with prolonged latency and reduced evoked potential amplitude, but As-U, Pb-B, Cd-B, and ZnPP concentrations are not linearly related to potential components. The analysis of evoked potentials may be a useful method of assessment of the central nervous system in patients with occupational exposure to heavy metals.
本研究的目的是评估职业性接触砷、镉和铅的患者的视觉和脑干听觉诱发电位参数。研究组包括41名职业性接触砷、镉和铅的铜冶炼及精炼工人（平均年龄：51.27岁）。对照组由36名健康志愿者组成（35名男性和1名女性，年龄27 - 66岁，平均年龄：51.08岁）。进行了神经学检查、脑部成像以及视觉和脑干听觉诱发电位检查，并评估了血镉、血铅浓度（Cd - B、Pb - B）、血锌原卟啉（ZnPP）和尿砷浓度（As - U）之间的关系。在工人中，观察到生物浓度超过允许范围，尿砷浓度超标率为5.2%，血镉和血铅超标率为1.3%，而ZnPP超标率为2.6%。暴露工人的平均P100、相对P100和N145视觉诱发电位（VEP）潜伏期显著长于对照组。工人的平均脑干听觉诱发电位（BAEP）波III和波V潜伏期以及平均波III - V和I - V峰间潜伏期更长，且工人的I波和V波振幅低于对照组。总之，职业性接触砷、镉和铅与潜伏期延长和诱发电位振幅降低有关，但As - U、Pb - B、Cd - B和ZnPP浓度与电位成分并非线性相关。诱发电位分析可能是评估职业性接触重金属患者中枢神经系统的一种有用方法。
