NEUROLOGICAL DISTURBANCES IN WORKERS WITH LOW-LEVELS OF LEAD IN THE BLOOD .1. PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

This is a cross-sectional study with a randomized choice of individual s aiming at studying the validity of the Brazilian biological exposure limits applied to lead level in the blood (PbB) and delta-aminolevuli nic acid in the urine (ALAU) which are 60 mu g/dl and 10 mg/g.creat., respectively. For this purpose, twenty workers, whose PbB and ALAU val ues have been below these limits over the past two years, were selecte d at random at a battery production plant in the State of S. Paulo, Br azil. The workers were submitted to a peripheral nerve conduction stud y. The results were compared with those obtained for workers of a cont rol group also chosen at random. The lead workers showed a decrease in the velocity conduction of the radial nerves. Comparing this group wi th a randomized control group, a significant difference was observed ( p-value = 0.0067). The results suggest that the Brazilian biological e xposure limits above should be rearranged.