LABORATORY RESULTS FOR SELECTED TARGET ORGANS IN 138 INDIVIDUALS OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED TO TCDD

Blood specimens for dioxin congener analysis and clinical laboratory s tudies were recently obtained for 138 employees who had been potential ly exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) following a 1 953 trichlorophenol autoclave accident. Results for 34 clinical tests were regressed on three exposure measures (current TCDD concentration, log TCDD concentration back-calculated to the time of exposure, and c hloracne status). Age, smoking status and body-mass-index were include d as additional explanatory factors in the analyses. Positive associat ions were found between each of the exposure measures and both serum t hyroxine (T4) and thyroxine binding globulin (TBG). Additional exposur e-response associations were detected relative to several immune syste m parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelet count and serum alkaline phosphatase. These data will be specifically helpful in inte rpreting the results of additional morbidity and mortality studies con ducted within the same target population.