HEPATIC AND BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

Objective: To investigate the relationship between lead levels in the liver and blood, liver function indices and other biological variables in patients with liver disease. Design: Prospective study. Method: Th e levels of lead in blood and hepatic tissue was measured in 92 patien ts with different liver diseases and in a control group (n = 100). Lea d levels were analysed by electrothermic atomic absorption spectrophot ometry. Results: For controls, the mean lead level in blood was 175 +/ - 87 mug/l. Blood lead levels were significantly linked with alcohol i ntake. They were raised in patients with alcoholic liver disease, incl uding both those with cirrhosis (230 +/- 65 mug/l) and those with chro nic non-cirrhotic liver disease (247 +/- 82 mug/l). The differences be tween these subgroups, the control group, and the patients with non-al coholic liver disease were statistically significant. The mean hepatic lead level for patients was 2.30 +/- 1.40 mug/g dry weight (d.w.), an d 2.15 +/- 1.71 mug/g d.w. for controls (not significant). Patients wi th alcoholic cirrhosis had higher hepatic lead levels than non-alcohol ic patients (2.62 +/- 1.48 mug/g d.w. versus 2.07 +/- 1.14 mug/g d.w., respectively), although the difference was not statistically signific ant. There was no relationship between blood and hepatic lead levels ( r = 0.27; not significant). Blood lead levels correlated with phosphor us (r = -0.36; P < 0.001), and alcohol intake (g/day; r = 0.32; P < 0. 001). Blood and hepatic lead levels in patients with cirrhosis were si milar for patients with Child-Pugh class A, B and C disease. Conclusio ns: Increased levels of lead were found in the blood of patients who c onsumed alcohol and those with alcoholic liver disease. Our data sugge st that both blood and hepatic lead levels are not influenced by chang es in liver function.