Abstract
In this study, the data belonging to 56 metallurgy workers, showing poisoning symptoms have been evaluated. On 51 patients, blood lead concentrations were more than 40 µg/dL, have been treated with chelation therapy using calcium disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate. Metal levels have been detected by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and urine delta-aminolevulinic acid levels have been studied with spectroscopic methods. Average blood lead levels of the patients were 57.52±15.43 µg/dL, average urine lead levels were 61.87 ± 41.41 µg/dL and urine delta-aminolevulinic acid levels were 17.18±15.91 mg/L. During four days, daily 10 mg/kg intravenous CaNa2EDTA chelation therapy was given to the patients having more than 40 µg/dL blood lead concentrations. Three days after giving up the first therapy, blood lead, urine lead and urine delta-aminolevulinic acid levels were measured and found their values as 43.76±10.74 µg/dL, 59.53±39.22 µg/dL and 15.64±16.81 mg/L, respectively. According to these results, blood lead levels of the patients between first admission to hospital and after therapy were statistically significant (p<0.001). It was continued to the chelation therapy by taking into consideration the blood lead levels. Differences between the obtained data after applied each chelation therapy have been found statistically significant. The data belonging to workers, blood lead levels are above the limits, and after being administered CaNa2EDTA chelation therapy have been evaluated. Consequently, although initial blood lead levels were close to each other, it is showed that it should be investigated genetics differences as a factor in the state of exposure due to the fact workers requiring different chelation cures. Moreover, the fact that there are coming into existence great number of chronic poisoning in a workplace shows the importance of raising awareness for authorities and workers about protecting from exposure in the workplaces of our country