Acta Medica Medianae
Vol. 42
No 3, Juli, 2003
UDK 61
YU ISSN 0365-4478
 

Correspondence to:
Jovica Jovanovic
Institut medicine rada
Vojislava Ilića bb,
18000 Nis,
Serbia and Montenegro
e-mail: joca@medfak.ni.ac.yu

THE EFFECT OF NOXIOUS IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY ON THE RADIAL NERVE IN EXPOSED WORKERS

Jovica Jovanović, Milan Jovanović i Mirjana Aranđelović

Institute of Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, University, Nis

The aim of this paper is the analysis of electroneurographic and neurological findings at workers in chemical industry. An analysis of the working conditions in the cartridge and drying sections of paint and lacquer industry has shown an above permitted level of white spirit and toluene. The exposed group comprised 55 workers occupationally exposed to these noxae, whilst the control group included 35 workers who had never been exposed to the same agents. The exposed workers more frequently complained of numbness of the arm and leg, cramps in the shoulder and knee, and weakness in the arm and leg than did the control workers. The electromyoneurographic examination of the radial nerve showed that a decrease in motor and sensitive conduction velocity was more significant in the exposed group compared to the control. The reduction in motor and sensitive conduction velocity was in correlation with the length of exposure to the noxae. Terminal latency of the radial nerve was significantly longer in the exposed group compared to the control, with an increase proportional to the exposure length. The exposed workers had a significantly longer time of response to acoustic and visual stimuli. The results of the study suggest neurotoxic effects of the noxae detected in the cartridge and drying sections of paint and lacquer industry. Acta Medica Medianae 2003; 42(3):9-13.

Key words: chemical noxiousness, organic solvents, radial nerve, elecroneurographic examinations, chemical industry