Relationship of Blood Lead Levels to Blood Pressure in Exhaust Battery Storage Workers

Abstract

Several researches has focused the hypothesis that low blood lead levels could be associated with an increased risk of hypertension. To assess the relation between occupational lead exposure and elevated blood pressure a group of 27 workers, age range from 27 to 62 years, mean (SD) 36.52 (+/- 8.16) yr; length of employment mean (DS) 2.97 (+/- 1.67) yr, were recruited as study subjects. The following variables were measured: blood lead concentration (BPb), delta-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) activity, Zinc Protoporphirin (ZPP), creatinine, hematocrit, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood (DBP) Pressure. The results showed that long term occupational exposure was related to a slight increase of systolic and diastolic blood pressure among workers who had been exposed to higher level of lead with respect to workers exposed to lower level of lead. Furthermore, blood lead concentration (BPb) and ZPP resulted higher among workers exposed to higher level of ambient lead, while in the same group of workers ALAD activity resulted more inhibited. The authors concluded long term cumulative lead exposure can significantly increase blood pressure in low level Pb exposed workers.