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Immunologic findings among lead‐exposed workers
Author(s) -
Pinkerton Lynne E.,
Biagini Raymond E.,
Ward Elizabeth M.,
Hull R. DeLon,
Deddens James A.,
Boeniger Mark F.,
Schnorr Teresa M.,
MacKenzie Barbara A.,
Luster Michael I.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199804)33:4<400::aid-ajim11>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - medicine , lead exposure , immunology , immune system , occupational exposure , cd8 , antibody , physiology , environmental health , cats
A comprehensive panel of immune parameters was evaluated among 145 lead‐exposed workers with a median blood lead level (BLL) of 39 μg/dL (range: 15–55 μg/dL) and 84 unexposed workers. After adjusting for covariates, we found no major differences in the percentage of CD3+ cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, or NK cells between lead‐exposed and unexposed workers, although the association between lead exposure and the number of CD4+ T cells was modified by age. We also found no differences between exposed and unexposed workers in serum immunoglobulin levels, salivary IgA, C3 complement levels, or lymphoproliferative responses. However, among exposed workers, the percentage and number of B cells were positively associated with current BLL, serum IgG was negatively associated with cumulative lead exposure, and the percentage and number of CD4+/CD45RA+ cells were positively associated with cumulative lead exposure. We found no evidence of a marked immunotoxic effect of lead at the exposure levels studied, although some subtle differences in immunologic parameters were noted. Am. J. Ind. Med. 33:400–408, 1998. Published 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.