Are aluminium potroom workers at increased risk of neurological disorders?

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Volumn 54, Issue 4, 1997, Pages 229-235

  Sim, Malcolm ^a,c   Dick, Robert ^b   Russo, John ^b   Bernard, Bruce ^b   Grubb, Paula ^b   Krieg Jr , Edward ^b   Mueller, Charles ^b   McCammon, Charles ^b  

^a MONASH UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

^b NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH   (United States)

^c MONASH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL   (Australia)

Author keywords

aluminium smelting; incoordination; neurological function; tremor

Indexed keywords

ADULT; AGED; ALUMINUM FACTORY; ARTICLE; BODY POSTURE; CONTROLLED STUDY; HIGH RISK POPULATION; HUMAN; LINGUISTICS; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; MALE; MOTOR COORDINATION; NEUROLOGIC DISEASE; PREVALENCE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; RESPONSE TIME; SMELTER; TREMOR;

EID: 0030939190     PISSN: 13510711     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1136/oem.54.4.229     Document Type: Article

References (21)

1. McLaughlin AIG, Kazantsis G, King E, Teare D, Porter RJ, Owen R. Pulmonary fibrosis and encephalopathy associated with the inhalation of aluminium dust. Br J Ind Med 1962; 19:253-63.
2. Longstreth WT Jr, Rosenstock L, Heyer NJ. Potroom palsy? Neurologic disorder in three aluminum smelter workers. Arch Intern Med 1985;145:1972-5.
3. White DM, Longstreth WT Jr, Rosenstock L, Claypoole KHJ, Brodkin CA, Townes BD. Neurologic syndrome in 25 workers from an aluminum smelting plant. Arch Intern Med 1992;152:1443-8.
4. Langauer-Lewowicka H, Braszczynska Z. A trial evaluation of combined action of certain physical and chemical and harmful factors on the central nervous system. Neurol Neurochir Pol 1983;24:91-6.
5. Rifat SL, Eastwood MR, Crapper D, McLachlan DR, Corey PN. Effect of exposure of miners to aluminium powder. Lancet 1990;336:1162-5.
6. Hosovski E, Mastelica Z, Sunderic D, Raduvolic D. Mental abilities of workers exposed to aluminum. Med Lav 1990; 81:119-23.
7. Sjogren B, Gustavsson P, Hogstedt C. Neuropsychiatric symptoms among welders exposed to neurotoxic metals. Br J Ind Med 1990;47:704-7.
8. Bast-Pettersen R, Drables PA, Goffeng LO, Thomassen Y. Neuropsychological deficit among elderly workers in aluminum production. Am J Ind Med 1994;25:649-62.
9. Altmann P, Hamon C, Blair J, Dhanesha U, Cunningham J, Marsh F. Disturbance of cerebral function by aluminium in haemodialysis patients without overt aluminium toxicity. Lancet 1989;334:7-12.
10. Crapper DR. Aluminum and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Ageing 1986;7:525-35.
11. Sjogren B, Lidums V, Hakansson M, Hedstrom L. Exposure and urinary excretion of aluminium during welding. Scand J Work Environ Health 1985;11:39-43.
12. Sjogren B, Elinder C, Lidums V, Chang G. Uptake and urinary excretion of aluminum among welders. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1988;60:77-9.
13. Elinder CG, Ahrengart L, Lidums V, Pettersson E, Sjogren B. Evidence of aluminum accumulation in aluminium welders. Br J Ind Med 1991;48:735-8.
14. Larsen LB, Rivera RO, Wagner WL, Wisner BT. Report of industrial hygiene surveys conducted during fiscal year 1973 in six aluminum plants located in the northwestern United States. Cincinnati: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 1973.
15. Galinsky TL, Rosa RR, Wheeler DD. Assessing muscular fatigue with a portable tremor measurement system suitable for field use. Behavioural Research Methods of the Institute of Computing 1990;22:507-16.
16. Kondraske G. A noncontacting human tremor sensor and measurement system. IEEE Transactions of Instrumental Measurements 1986;35:201-6.
17. Dick RB, Bhattacharya A, Shukla R. Use of a computerized postural sway measurement system for neurobehavioral toxicology, Neurotoxicol Teratol 1990;12:1-6.
18. World Health Organization. Operational guide for the WHO neurobehavioural core test battery. Geneva: WHO Office of Occupational Health, 1988.
19. Wechsler, D. Wechsler adult intelligence scale-revised. New York: Psychological Corporation, 1981.
20. Anger WK, Cassitto MG, Liang Y, Amador R, Hooisma J, Chrislip D, et al. Comparison of performance from three continents on die WHO-recommended neurobehavioral core test battery. Environ Res 1993;62:125-47.
21. Ronneberg A. Mortality and cancer morbidity in workers from an aluminium smelter with prebaked carbon anodes - part I: exposure assessment. Occup Environ Med 1995;52:242-9.