Biomedical subjects

E Sabbioni

Publications and source records attributed to E Sabbioni.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Reference values of urinary chromium in Italy.

OBJECTIVES: The paper describes the results of a polycentric study for the assessment of reference values of urinary chromium (U-Cr) in the Italian population. METHOD: A total of 890 subjects (58.3% males and 41.7% females) were selected on the basis of standardized criteria in eight different areas of Italy. Urinary chromium was determined on morning spot samples collected using standardized procedures. The U-Cr was determined independently by three laboratories using an Electrothermic atomization-Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (ETA-AAS) method with a detection limit of 0.05 microgram/l, adopting-for the statistical analysis-the median value of the results of the three laboratories. The between-laboratories within-subjects standard deviation was 0.049 microgram/l. Due to the high proportion (approx, 28%) of undetectable chromium levels, the geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) were estimated using a procedure of linear interpolation. The analysis of the effects of some variables (sex, age, center, residence, smoking and drinking habits) on the U-Cr values, was also performed, by multiple regression analysis after logarithmic transformation, using GM and SD. RESULTS: The reference value of U-Cr was of 0.08 microgram/l as an estimated GM, whereas the expected distribution ranged from not detectable (nd) (95% CI = nd-0.06) to 0.24 microgram/l (95th percentile; 95% CI = 0.20-0.31). Among the variables studied, only geographical area and sex significantly influenced the U-Cr levels. In subjects selected in the provinces of Bari and Venice values of U-Cr were significantly lower than those determined in subjects residing in other areas. CONCLUSIONS: From our investigation the reference values for U-Cr were lower than those obtained in previous investigations. In addition it confirms a further reduction in U-Cr levels following the previous decline reported in the 1970s and 1980s. In over 20 years U-Cr values in the general population dropped from values greater than 1 microgram/l to values between 0.5 and 0.2 microgram/l. The reasons of this progressive decline cannot be attributed in our opinion to a reduced intake of the metal, but mainly to the improvement in analytical instrumentation and methods. A further decrease may be ascribed to a more accurate definition of the reference groups and to a better control of pre-analytical factors. Considering that the reference values for U-Cr are much lower than those determined some decades ago, toxicological studies in order to verify the significance of biological limit values currently suggested for chromium seem to be necessary.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Effects of chromium on lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulins from normal population and exposed workers.

Blood lymphocyte subsets and serum immunoglobulins were studied in 15 men (mean age: 35 years), not exposed to toxic agents, and in 15 healthy men, exposed to dust containing several compounds (including lead chromate), working in a factory producing plastic materials. Worker blood lead and urine chromium (Cr) levels were significantly higher than controls, while serum Cr concentration was unchanged. In the worker blood, CD4+ helper-inducer (mainly CD4+-CD45RO- "virgin"), CD5--CD19+ B, CD3--CD25+ activated B and CD3--HLA-DR+ activated B and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes were significantly reduced (about 30-50 %). The investigated workers were exposed to hexavalent Cr, as lead chromate, whereas normal population (control group) was mainly exposed to trivalent Cr. In the control group, urinary Cr showed a significant positive correlation with CD16+-56+ NK, CD5+-CD19+ B and HLA-DR+ activated T, B and NK lymphocytes and a negative correlation with serum IgA immunoglobulins; moreover, serum Cr was significantly correlated with all blood lymphocytes and HLA-DR+, CD3--HLA--DR+ and CD3--CD25+ lymphocyte subsets. These data suggest that trivalent Cr may be involved in mechanisms regulating the immune response in humans.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

A critical review on normal concentrations of vanadium in human blood, serum, and urine.

An evaluation of published values for 'normal' concentrations of vanadium levels in human blood, serum, and urine have been determined in order to identify the reasons for existing large variations of these values. The published data were scrutinized according to criteria on sampling and analysis developed for the TRACY (EUREKA; ENVIRON1) project which aims at establishing reference values for persons without occupational exposure to metals. Of the sampling factors, living in environmentally polluted areas, contamination-free sampling and sample handling were found to be highly important. Expert experience is needed for the accurate vanadium determination in these fluids using well defined radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) or NAA with pre-irradiation separation or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). RNAA is superior for this purpose. Lack of suitable reference materials is a severe handicap in assessing accuracy of vanadium determinations at low levels. Although no reference values for vanadium are established, it appears that values, around 1 nmol l-1 for blood and serum and around 10 nmol l-1 or slightly lower for urine may be considered tentative normal values.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1996

Sample collection guidelines for trace elements in blood and urine. IUPAC Commission of Toxicology.

This paper presents an organized system for element-specific sample collection and handling of human blood (whole blood, serum or plasma, packed cells or erythrocytes) and urine also indicating a proper definition of the subject and sample. Harmonized procedures for collection, preparation, analysis and quality control are suggested. The aim is to assist scientists worldwide to produce comparable data which will be useful on a regional, national and international scale. The guidelines are directed to the elements aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, lithium, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium and zinc. These include the most important elements measured for their occupational or clinical significance, and serve as examples of principles that will guide development of methods for other elements in the future.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

PubMed1996

Trace elements in renal failure: are they clinically important?

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Bromine↗

PubMed1995

Review of trace elements in blood, serum and urine for the Czech and Slovak populations and critical evaluation of their possible use as reference values.

The availability of accurate trace element reference values in human tissues represents an important indicator to the health status of the general population and occupational groups exposed to trace elements. The EURO TERVIHT project (Trace Element Reference Values in Human Tissues) aims to establish and compare trace element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European countries as baseline values for clinical/toxicological assessment studies. In this context, one of the first steps considered is the critical evaluation (state of the art) of existing literature on trace element reference values in blood, serum and urine in the general population of each European country. This paper reviews the Czech and Slovak situation by assessing studies carried out in these countries for Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, F, Mn, Hg, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sc, Se, V and Zn in blood, serum and urine. These studies show that most of the data available do not meet criteria designed recently for deriving reference intervals, especially regarding the number of subjects, the age of population sample studies as well as the use of appropriate sampling techniques and quality assurance procedures. Elements which present the highest potential risk for health in Czech and Slovak populations and for which reference values should be urgently established are: Cd, Hg, Pb (major pollutants); As, Cr, Ni (carcinogenic metals); Al, F, Mn, Tl, V (released into the environment by coal combustion and other industrial activities); Pt (increasing use of Pt catalyst in petrol-driven automobiles); essential trace elements such as I, Se and Zn for which a deficiency in Czech and Slovak populations was detected or is suspected.

Czechoslovakia↗

PubMed1995

Trace element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Union. IX. Harmonization of statistical treatment: blood cadmium in Italian subjects.

Obtaining reliable trace element reference values in tissues and fluids from inhabitants of the European Union relies on the availability of standardized and harmonized protocols for the statistical treatment of the data on trace element levels in general European populations. In this context, cadmium was measured in the blood (BCd) of 514 Italian inhabitants from the Lombardy region and the results statistically treated and presented according to a procedure which includes: simple descriptive statistics and graphical analysis such as stem and leaf and box-plot representations (average BCd levels were 0.62 microgram/l; geometric mean, 0.51 microgram/l; median, 0.50 microgram/l; mode, 0.30 microgram/l; 95th percentile, 1.48 micrograms/l; 5th percentile, 0.20 microgram/l); p-p plot, Shapiro-Wilk and Lilliefors tests for normality (the distribution of the data is closer to the log-normal distribution and inconsistent with the hypothesis of normality); analysis of variance (BCd increases from 20 to about 60 years and then decreases; it is influenced by smoking but not by body mass and alcohol consumption and it is higher in men than in women); and step wise multiple regression analysis (BCd is influenced by the number of cigarettes/day and the total dose of exposure, cigarettes/day multiplied by smoking years). Tentative reference intervals for BCd based on the log transformation of the data are 0.14-1.82 micrograms Cd/l (whole population); 0.16-1.94 micrograms Cd/l (male) and 0.13-1.66 micrograms Cd/l (female); 0.24-2.68 micrograms Cd/l (smokers); and 0.14-1.27 micrograms Cd/l (non-smokers).

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Community. VI. Review of elements in blood, plasma and urine and a critical evaluation of reference values for the United Kingdom population.

Reference values for the concentration of elements in whole blood for the UK population are presented together with estimates for concentrations in plasma and urine. The blood data, when compared with other values obtained for Belgium, Denmark and Italy, obtained through the EURO-Terviht programme of the European Union, together with data from other countries, indicate similar concentrations. The data provide a basis for identifying the expected levels for the non-occupational exposed population against which differences attributable to various states of well-being, morbidity and mortality can be evaluated. However, it is also apparent that significant differences do exist which are related to geography and diet. In order to consider these differences, further improvements in the determination of elements in human tissues and fluids are required. Particular attention should be paid to that proportion of an element in the environment which is bioavailable together with its toxicity.

Autopsy↗

PubMed1994

Trace element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Community. VII. Review of trace elements in blood, serum and urine of the Belgian population and critical evaluation of their possible use as reference values.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Trace element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Union. VIII. Thallium in the Italian population.

In order to establish reference values of thallium in tissues of the general population the element was determined in blood (TlB) and urine (TlU) of 123 healthy inhabitants living in the Marche region, Central Italy. The analysis was carried out by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS; detection limit in our experimental conditions, 0.001 micrograms Tl/I), which was validated by neutron activation analysis (NAA) and laser induced fluorecence (LIF) spectroscopy. The check of pre-analytical factors indicated a low risk of contamination and loss of Tl during sampling, handling and storage before the instrumental analysis (blank of the entire procedure less than the detection limit). Mean values of TlU and TlB were 0.066 micrograms Tl/l and 0.063 micrograms Tl/l, respectively (median in both cases 0.057 microgram Tl/l). No conclusive evidence concerning the distribution followed by our data set, normal or log-normal, were drawn, although Lilliefors test and Kolmogorov's D-test showed a tendency for TlB to follow both the normal and the log-normal while TlU followed a log-normal distribution. Overall correlations between TlU and TlB are rather weak. A significant, but not high, correlation (P < 0.0004, r = 0.44) was observed in females. Age, sex, smoking habits and alcohol consumption did not seem to play any role on TlU and TlB. Tentatively proposed reference intervals are 0.019-0.17 microgram Tl/l (urine) and 0.014-0.19 microgram Tl/l (blood).

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Metal determinations in biological specimens of diseased and non-diseased hard metal workers.

Biological monitoring of Co, Ta and W, using mainly neutron activation analysis, was carried out on the urine, blood, pubic hair and toe nails of 251 subjects occupationally exposed to hard metal dusts (23 individuals were diagnosed as 'diseased subjects', affected by asthma and/or lung fibrosis). Airborne dust at hard metal workplaces were also analyzed for Co and W content. Cobalt and tungsten exposure at workplaces varied widely and frequently exceeded the TLV (0.05 mg Co/m3). Cobalt in urine (CoU), which is better than Co in blood (CoB), could represent a valuable indicator in discriminating between exposed groups, but is of little value as an indicator of exposure for single individuals. The high concentrations of cobalt in public hair (CoH) and toe nails (CoN) could also be valuable indicators of exposure although they are not useful, however, in establishing quantitatively the levels of cobalt accumulation. Tungsten and tantalum in pubic hair (WH and TaH) and toe nails (WN and TaN) also seem to be useful indicators in proving hard metal exposure qualitatively. The determination of these two elements, rather than cobalt, in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is very useful in complementing the diagnosis of hard metal disease proving hard metal exposure. The analysis of the BAL subfractions showed that W and Ta were firmly incorporated into the macrophage fraction while Co was distributed between cellular fraction and supernatant, which suggests a different mobility of hard metals in pulmonary tissue. The metal concentrations determined when submitted to statistical analysis indicated a positive correlation with P < 0.001 for the pairs (CoB-CoU), (Co-W) in urine, and (Co-W) in toe nails. Multielement analysis of biological specimens from diseased subjects suggests that hard metal disease does not relate to Co, W and Ta levels in the specimens considered. The disease does not depend on sex, age, working age and length of hard metal exposure. These findings support the theory on the possible haptenic properties of Co which may induce hypersensitivity and immuno-related toxic effects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

The differential diagnosis of hard metal lung disease.

Hard metal lung disease is usually easy to diagnose, on the basis of occupational history, chest X-ray appearance of interstitial lung disease and, if necessary, by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). However, other interstitial lung diseases may affect patients with an occupational history of exposure to cobalt. In hard metal disease, the hylar lymphnodes may enlarge due to high draining of hard metals from the lung tissue via lymphatic vessels. Also, the presence of Giant Cells (even if Langhan's type) in the BAL fluid of sarcoid patients may be high. We present four patients with a history of exposure to hard metals and whose chest X-rays suggest sarcoidosis, stage II; in each, a pulmonary biopsy was necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Final diagnosis was sarcoidosis in one (showing typical granulomata in the lung tissue), and hard metal disease in three: two of these had foreign body-type granulomata in the lung tissue. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) study was carried out on these four patients using specimens of BAL fluid, blood, urine, toenails, pubic hair and sperm. In the light of available data, the concentration of elements may not be useful in differentiating between sarcoidosis and hard metal pneumoconiosis. However, NAA on BAL fluid or other specimens may be helpful in confirming the presence of the offending agent in suspected cases when the occupational history is not clear.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Cobalt excretion in urine: results of a study on workers producing diamond grinding tools and on a control group.

A study was carried out on cobalt (Co) excretion in the urine of 12 workers exposed to known cobalt concentrations in the stone cutting diamond wheel production and in six volunteers: four of these were exposed in the same work environment for a whole workshift and the other two were exposed to cobalt in a cabin under experimental conditions. The kinetics of the urinary excretion was multiphase: (i) a first stage of rapid elimination (T 1/2' = 43.9 h); (ii) a second phase of slower elimination (T 1/2'' = 10 days); (iii) a longer period of retention, of the order of years, in subjects with higher exposure. In the control group (4 subjects), the excretion proved to be much faster in the first stage (T 1/2' = 20 h). The different behaviour of the two groups could be related to the different body burden, of cobalt and/or to the possibility of different kinetics induced by continuous exposure to the metal. Moreover, 3 weeks after the removal of the workers from exposure the urinary cobalt concentrations were not within the normal limits of CoU for the general population, (even for workers exposed to cobalt levels of the same order as the TLV). The increase of CoU concentrations in the first 3 h after the end of exposure, stresses the problem of when urine samples for biological monitoring of the workers should be collected. The present study confirms the utility of CoU in discriminating between exposed and non-exposed subjects as well as in assessing high and low level exposure.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Cobalt speciation in urine of hard metal workers. A study carried out by nuclear and radioanalytical techniques.

A method for the determination of inorganic and organically-bound cobalt in human urine has been developed and applied to the urine of hard metal workers. The development was based on the use of the radionuclides 57Co, 58Co and 60Co-labelled Co compounds such as Co-Vitamin B12 and CO2+ ions which allowed the study of their biotransformations in human and rat urine. The proposed procedure is based on the use of Chelex 100 resin which retains quantitatively the inorganic Co from the urine while the organic complexed form of the element is eluted. Cobalt is detected in both column and eluate by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The method has been applied to speciate inorganic and organically-bound Co in the urine of hard metal workers. There is a significant increase (P < 0.02) of the ratio inorganic/organic Co (2.3) in the urine of workers compared with controls (1.01), showing an increase of the inorganic fraction of Co in the urine of workers. The ratio was constant for the wide range of urinary Co analyzed (from 180 micrograms to 1254 micrograms Co/l). Therefore, the discrimination between inorganic and organic Co in urine should not represent progress in the biological monitoring of Co compared with the determination of total urinary Co. However, a large amount of organically-complexed Co is formed in the body of hard metal workers and excreted in urine, thus, investigations of the nature of the organo-cobalt compounds are of fundamental importance in establishing their possible clinical significance.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

PubMed1994

Metabolic and toxicological studies on cobalt.

In this study, the following in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out: (a) Rats were exposed to the radionuclide 57Co2+ ions in single intraperitoneal or intravenous doses (from 10 ng to 1 mg Co/rat) or to 50 ng Co/rat/day through drinking water for 109 days. The target tissue for cobalt depended on the dosage and route of administration (e.g. lung, kidney or bone). Excretion took place mainly through urine (i.p. and i.v. administration) or feces. At 24 h, testis of rats i.v. injected with 10 ng Co/rat contained 0.056% of the dose, with approximately 0.036% in the epididymus, and 0.08% in the deferens. No radioactivity was found in the germinal cells. (b) In vitro incorporation of cobalt in rat sperm. Cobalt enters the germinal cells suggesting that in vivo barriers against the incorporation of the element in sperms may occur. (c) Dose-effect relationships in BALB/3T3 cell cultures exposed to concentrations of cobalt from 1000 to 1 microM of Co2+. Cobalt induced a dose dependent cytotoxic response. At 10 microM, cell growth was reduced to about 30%. No inhibition was found at 1 microM. Morphological transformation assays gave negative results when the cells were exposed to 1000 microM of cobalt.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1994

The European Congress on Cobalt and Hard Metal Disease. Conclusions, highlights and need of future studies.

This article summarizes the present state of the art and some recommendations for solutions to problems identified by the European Congress on Cobalt and Hard Metal Disease on the basis of the papers and posters presented, as well as a round table discussion which produced several dominant questions and revealed areas of weakness and uncertainty. The round table discussion (chairman, Professor E. Capodaglio) focussed on the following aspects: (i) Monitoring (opinion leaders: R. Lauwerys, E. Sabbioni). (ii) Mechanisms of toxicity (opinion leaders: B. Nemery, N.L. Sprince, G. Scansetti). (iii) Health effects (opinion leaders: G. Nordberg, I.B. Andersen). (iv) Diagnosis/health surveillance (opinion leaders: G. Chiappino, S. Hernberg, S. Brown).

Cobalt↗

PubMed1994

Trace element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Community. V. Review of trace elements in blood, serum and urine and critical evaluation of reference values for the Danish population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Effect of selenium compounds on murine B16 melanoma cells and pigmented cloned pB16 cells.

The effects of selenium compounds such as sodium selenite, sodium selenate, seleno-DL-cystine and seleno-DL-methionine (100 microM and 10 microM) on B16 and pigmented cloned pB16 murine melanoma cells were investigated in vitro. At the tested concentrations, B16 cells showed a greater sensitivity to the toxic effects of sodium selenite and seleno-DL-cystine than pB16 cells, whereas no decrease of B16 and pB16 cell number was observed after incubation with sodium selenate or seleno-DL-methionine. Glutathione (GSH) percentages were strongly decreased only by selenite and seleno-DL-cystine; it was marked more in B16 than in pB16 cells. The pretreatment of B16 cells with a GSH depleting agent (10 microM buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine) did not significantly influence the cytotoxic effects of selenite and seleno-DL-cystine. On both cell populations, GSH preincubation (50 microM) enhanced the cytotoxicity of selenite whereas the survival of seleno-DL-cystine treated cells was increased. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in B16 cells was more sensitive than in pB16 cells to the activating effect of selenite, and particularly of seleno-DL-cystine: however, cell-free controls indicated that activation was mainly due to glutathione reductase. The rate of 75Se (as sodium selenite) uptake in both cell populations was maximal within the first hour of incubation, with a preferential accumulation in the cytosol; after 24 h of incubation, the amount of 75Se in cytosol and pellet was approximately the same.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗