Summary
Blood-lead concentrations (Pb-B) were measured in 318 adult inpatients with chronic liver diseases. The Pb-B was highest (387±96 μg/1) in 102 patients with alcoholic liver disease without cirrhosis. The Pb-B was still high, but significantly lower in 60 patients with compensated alcoholic cirrhosis (342±100μg/1) and in 72 patients with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis (312±97 μg/1). This difference was in part due to a significant decrease of the hematocrit which fell from 44.4±4.9% to 42.4±27.2% and to 39.2 ± 7.4% respectively. In patients with viral or cryptogenic liver diseases the Pb-B was 211±69 μg/l in 11 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, 219±72 μg/l in 19 with chronic active hepatitis, 206±94 μg/l in 28 with compensated cirrhosis, and 226±98 μg/1 in 26 with decompensated cirrhosis, without any significant difference. The Pb-B of the male patients showed no correlation to age, with the exception of 25 male patients with chronic persistent and active hepatitis (r=0.626, P < 0.001).
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Bortoli, A., Mattiello, G., Zotti, S. et al. Blood-lead levels in patients with chronic liver diseases. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 52, 49–57 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380607
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380607