Biomedical subjects

P Rocks

Publications and source records attributed to P Rocks.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1978

Lead and morbidity: A dose-response relationship.

Many laboratory tests have been recommended for monitoring factory workers exposed to lead. To select the most useful test the best predictor of selected measures of morbidity was sought. 639 lead-exposed workers in several factories were questioned about abdominal ache, constipation, and fatigue and were examined for hand tremot. Packed-cell volume, blood-lead, urinary lead, and delta-aminolaevulinic acid were estimated in 489 workers. About half of the values for the latter three tests fell into the "excessive" or "dangerous" category of lead absorption. Blood-lead was a better predictor of morbidity than any other laboratory test, and further information did not add appreciably to morbidity prediction. The findings suggest that blood-lead measurement is the most meaningful test for monitoring workers exposed to lead. The effect of lead on morbidity does not appear to depend on its action on the porphyrin metabolic pathway.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1978

Lung function and respiratory symptoms in silicotic and nonsilicotic gold miners.

In a cross-sectional sample of 1,973 white gold miners 45 to 54 years of age, symptoms of chronic bronchitis were equally common in men with radiologically diagnosed silicosis and those without silicosis; however, more silicotic miners complained of missing work during the previous 3 years because of chest illness. Whereas mean forced vital capacity did not differ between the 2 groups, both the 1-sec forced expiratory volume and the mean forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the forced vital capacity were significantly lower in those with silicosis. This difference was almost entirely accounted for by their higher exposure to dust in the mines. Men with silicosis, therefore, have the same or only slightly more airway obstruction than men without silicosis who have had similar total exposure to dust.

Dust↗