Normal blood cell values in groups of population from various geographic areas of Romania.

The aim of this work was to determine the normal values of erythro-, leuko-, and thrombocytes in several groups of population situated in various geographic areas (hills, plain, sea-side), considering that such data could be useful for the delimitation between the normal conditions and the near-normal ones. Sixteen hematologic parameters have been investigated in 2,053 healthy subjects, insisting particularly on those most frequently required in the clinic, i.e., erythrocytes/microliter, hemoglobin (g%), hematocrit (%), leukocytes/microliter, and thrombocytes/microliter. No significant differences related to the geographic areas were recorded. The normal values of the hematologic parameters are presented in separate tables.

The value of some cytoenzymochemical investigations of the leukocytes and platelets in estimating the effects of occupational exposure to benzene, vinyl chloride and carbon disulphide.

Cytoenzymochemical investigations were performed on the leukocytes and platelets from 2,782 workers occupationally exposed to benzene, vinyl chloride or carbon disulphide, in view of detecting the eventual occurrence of cytologic metabolic disorders induced by these chemical substances. The cytomorphologic aspects and the cytoenzymochemical parameters studied, such as the leukocyte alkaline phosphatase, endolymphocytic glycogen, lymphocytic nucleolar RNA amounts (revealed by the lymphocyte nucleologram), as well as the platelet counts have shown some abnormal values, whose severity was related to the time of exposure to toxic chemicals. The results obtained demonstrate the utility of such tests for an early detection of some metabolic disorders of the endolymphocytic proteins, carbohydrates or lipids, in view of preventing the occurrence of more severe pathologic consequences.

Value of some leukocyte cytoenzymochemical investigations in detecting the noxious effects of the vinyl chloride monomer or polymer.

A group of 100 workers exposed to vinyl chloride (VC) (mean duration of exposure-13.2 years) were subjected to a complex medical examination for the detection of eventual alterations of the biologic parameters, induced by occupational exposure. Leukocyte cytoenzymochemical determinations (lymphocytic RNA--Plenert's method modified by Micu and glycogen--Hotchkiss McManus method), which might give some information on two important metabolic processes--of proteins and of carbohydrates--were performed in peripheral blood smears. Lymphocytic nucleologram and the relative and absolute nucleolar area showed an increase of endolymphocytic RNA, due to the high percentage of binucleolated cells and of spherical macronucleoli. The increase of the endolymphocytic glycogen score in parallel with the duration exposure was in correlation with high titers of serum gamma GT.

Early changes of lymphocyte RNA and serum immunoglobulins following chronic exposure to benzene.

Hematologic and immunochemical investigations carried out in 270 workers with chronic exposure to benzene demonstrated changes of the nucleologram and of the area of lymphocyte nucleoli as well as disorders of the humoral immune response revealed by radial immunodiffusion. The numerical rise of bi- and polynucleolated cells, of cells with irregular macronucleoli as well as an enlargement of the nucleolar area are assumed to reflect an increase of the endolymphocytic amounts of RNA. An increased capacity of immunoglobulin formation, particularly of IgM, was also observed. All these changes are considered as early signs of an enhanced immune reactivity following chronic exposure to benzene.