A Study of the Correlation Between the Activity of Erythrocyte Pyrimidine 5'-Nucleotidase and Urinary N-Acetyl-beta-D-Glucosaminidase in Lead Exposed Workers / 대한산업의학회지

In this study, we measured the activity of the erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase (P5N) and urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) from 154 workers exposed to lead and 43 workers not exposed. We analyzed the correlation of the P5N activity and NAG activity with other biological exposure indices of lead such as blood lead (PbB) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP). The measurement was performed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), spectrophotometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results are as follows: 1. The mean value of P5N activity for workers exposed to lead was 9.50+/-.13 micromol uridine/hr/g Hb and 11.60+/-.2 micromol uridine/hr/g Hb for workers not exported. The P5N activity showed a normal distribution, but the other indices of lead showed logarithmic normal distributions. 2. The P5N activity and ZPP were decreased as PbB wag increased. But the NAG activity had no correlation with changes of PbB. 3. The correlation coefficients of the P5N activity with other biological exposure indices of lead such as PbB, ZPP, NAG activity were -0.72, -0.55, and 0.05, respectively. We speculated that the P5N activity can be used as a reliable biological exposure index of lead but NAG activity can be used as a biological management index of lead.

Clinical Studies on Idiopathic Myocardiopathy

Twenty-two cases of idiopathic myocardiopathy were observed during the period of 1962 to 1971 and follow up clinical study was made in 5 cases. The criteria of diagnosis was based mainly on exclusive diagnosis in etiology unknown marked cardiomegaly. 1) Male and female ratio of idiopathic myocardiopathy was 1.1:1 and age of onset were distributed from first decade to fifth decade with similar number of cases. 2) Cardinal symptoms were dyspnea, palpitation, chest pain and cough. Common physical findings were protodiastolic gallop (in 2 cases), moist rales (in 3 cases) and hepatomegaly(in 3 cases). 3) Laboratory findings were normal except elevated T.T.T. in one case. 4) Electrocardiogram were abnormal in all cases. There were 3 cases of left ventricular hypertrophy, 3 cases of non-specific ST-T changes and one case of first degree A-V block, intraventricular conduction defect, abnormal Q wave and low valtage, respectively. 5) After medical treatment, symptoms were improved in 4 cases but heart size was reduced in only one case and E.C.G. abnormalities were unchanged in all cases.