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Occupational exposure to lead and blood pressure: A study in 105 workers
Author(s) -
de Kort W. L. A. M.,
Verschoor M. A.,
Wibowo A. A. E.,
van Hemmen J. J.
Publication year - 1987
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/ajim.4700110204
Subject(s) - medicine , blood pressure , pulse pressure , confidence interval , occupational exposure , diastole , relative risk , lead (geology) , cardiology , environmental health , geomorphology , geology
A group of workers, occupationally exposed to lead and cadmium compounds (n = 53), was compared to a group of workers not exposed to these metals (n = 52). The average values of systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure were found to be higher in the exposed group (p < 0.05). In contrast with the correlation between CdU and blood pressure, the correlation between PbB and systolic and mean blood pressure remained statistically significant after controlling for age and pulse rate (r = 0.22, p < 0.05). The prevalence of potential hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 95 mm Hg and/or under treatment for hypertension) was higher in the exposed group, but the observed relative risk was not statistically significant: relative risk = 1.91 (95% confidence limits, 0.90‐4.05). Furthermore, a significant correlation between PbB and Hgb (r = ‐0.28, p=0.004) was observed. Differences in kidney function, as assessed in this study, were not detected.