Twitter

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Older Workers Face Increased Health Risks from Past Exposure to Lead

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic have published the results of a study showing that older workers with past occupational exposure to lead face increased risk for recirculation of lead into their bloodstreams later in life. As published in the Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, the article--"Past Occupational Exposure to Lead: Association Between Current Blood Lead and Bone Lead"--found that that lead stored in bone is a significant source of blood lead later in life and that older workers with past occupational exposure may face a particular risk for recirculation of lead in blood with advancing age.

Medical News Today quotes lead author Lisa A. Morrow, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the Institute, as saying that the study "found that even workers with no current workplace exposure to lead--but who have had considerable past exposure--show increasing levels of lead in their blood as they age." The other authors are Herbert Needleman, M.D., Christine McFarland, Kim Metheny and Michael Tobin.

Source: Medical News Today "Risks From Occupational Lead Exposure Last A Lifetime, Pitt Study Finds - Combination Of Age And Early Exposure To Lead Significantly Increase Risk" (May 26, 2008)

No comments: