Environmental exposure of heavy metal (lead and cadmium) and hearing loss: data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2010–2013)

BACKGROUND: Lead and cadmium have been identified as risk factors for hearing loss in animal studies, but large-scale studies targeting the general human population are rare. This study was conducted to investigate the link between heavy metal concentrations in blood and hearing impairment, using a national population-based survey. METHODS: The study participants comprised 6409 Koreans aged 20 or older, who were included in the Fifth and Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES 2010–2013). Hearing impairment was categorized into two types, low- and high-frequency hearing impairment, using pure tone audiometry. Low-frequency hearing impairment was defined as having a binaural average of hearing thresholds for 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz exceeding 25 dB, and high-frequency hearing impairment was defined as having a binaural average of hearing thresholds for 3, 4, and 6 kHz exceeding 25 dB. The blood levels of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) were classified into quartiles. Cross-sectional association between hearing impairment and the level of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) was examined in both sexes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Among men, the prevalence of low- and high- frequency hearing impairment was 13.9% and 46.7%, respectively, which was higher than the prevalence among women (11.8% and 27.0%, respectively). Regarding lead, the adjusted OR of high-frequency hearing impairment for the highest blood level group versus the lowest group was significant in both men (OR = 1.629, 95% CI = 1.161–2.287) and women (OR = 1.502, 95% CI = 1.027–2.196), after adjusting for age, body mass index, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and noise exposure (occupational, loud, firearm noises). No links were found between blood lead levels and low-frequency hearing impairment, or between blood cadmium levels and low- or high-frequency hearing impairment in either sex. CONCLUSIONS: The present study findings suggest that even exposure to low-level lead is a risk factor for high-frequency hearing loss. A prospective epidemiologic study should be conducted to identify the causal relationship between human health and exposure to heavy metals, and efforts to reduce heavy metal exposure in the general population should continue.

A Survival Case Sustained Pulmonary Damage After Paraquat Ingestion / 대한산업의학회지

The rapid quantification of paraquat in body fluids is of undoubted value in both initial assesment as well as the immediate prognosis of acutely poisoned patients. A 20-year-old woman ingested a mouthful of paraquat. Serum and urine paraquat levels were measured colorimetrically for 48 hours after identifying the presence of paraquat in her urine by a Paraquat test kit. At that time her survivability was considerd to be over 50% according to Proudfoot's scale of time related measured serum paraquat levels. Five days after admission, she began to cough but her chest x-ray picture was normal. However, she persisted to cough and subsequent chest x-rays showed fine reticulonodular densities in both upper and lower lobes. Twenty days after admission, she .was clinically well, and not deteriorated radiologically. Therefore, respiratory function tests were under-taken. They showed reduced lung volume, moderate reduction in ventilatory capacity, and a diffusion defect (DLco: 27% predicted value). Twenty four days after admission, the patient was discharged in good condition except for the sequale of lung involvement. Six months later, she was re-examined and found to be healthy with a large regression of lung lesions on her chest x-ray.

A Survival Case Sustained Pulmonary Damage After Paraquat Ingestion / 대한산업의학회지

The rapid quantification of paraquat in body fluids is of undoubted value in both initial assesment as well as the immediate prognosis of acutely poisoned patients. A 20-year-old woman ingested a mouthful of paraquat. Serum and urine paraquat levels were measured colorimetrically for 48 hours after identifying the presence of paraquat in her urine by a Paraquat test kit. At that time her survivability was considerd to be over 50% according to Proudfoot's scale of time related measured serum paraquat levels. Five days after admission, she began to cough but her chest x-ray picture was normal. However, she persisted to cough and subsequent chest x-rays showed fine reticulonodular densities in both upper and lower lobes. Twenty days after admission, she .was clinically well, and not deteriorated radiologically. Therefore, respiratory function tests were under-taken. They showed reduced lung volume, moderate reduction in ventilatory capacity, and a diffusion defect (DLco: 27% predicted value). Twenty four days after admission, the patient was discharged in good condition except for the sequale of lung involvement. Six months later, she was re-examined and found to be healthy with a large regression of lung lesions on her chest x-ray.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-like syndrome associated with systemic lupus erythematosus: combined treatment with plasmapheresis and fresh frozen plasma infusion

We report on a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, who, during the course of the illness, developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. In this case, the coexistence of these two conditions was confirmed by laboratory and pathologic findings. The infusion of fresh frozen plasma with plasmapheresis reversed the course of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

In vitro effects of some antifungal agents on the chemotaxis and phagocytosis response of human neutrophils / 감염

No abstract available.