OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO LEAD, KIDNEY-FUNCTION TESTS, AND BLOOD-PRESSURE

In the present study we examined sensitive biochemical markers of kidney function and damage in 166 workers exposed to lead and in 60 control workers. The objective was to investigate the chronic renal toxicity of lead and its possible correlation with arterial pressure. Diastolic arterial pressure was higher in the exposed group (p < 0.05), but the two groups did not differ in systolic pressure. Median activity of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was higher in the exposed group (p < 0.001), and correlated with blood lead levels (p < 0.001) and duration of exposure (p < 0.001), but not with arterial pressure. The other indicators studied, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase and alanine-aminopeptidase activity, urine albumin, and total urine protein, were not higher than in the control group and were not correlated with blood lead, duration of exposure, or arterial pressure. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.