BACKGROUND: Mercury is known to be neurotoxic at high levels. There have been few studies of potential peripheral neurotoxicity among persons with exposure to elemental mercury at or near background levels. OBJECTIVES: The present study sought to examine the association between urinary mercury concentration and peripheral nerve function as assessed by sensory nerve conduction studies in a large group of dental professionals. METHODS: From 1997 through 2006 urine mercury measurements and sensory nerve conduction of the median and ulnar nerves in the dominant hand were performed, and questionnaires were completed, on the same day in a convenience sample of dental professionals who attended annual conventions of the American Dental Association. Linear regression models, including repeated measures models, were used to assess the association of urine mercury with measured nerve function. RESULTS: 3594 observations from 2656 subjects were available for analyses. Urine mercury levels in our study population were higher than, but substantially overlap with, the general population. The only stable significant positive association involved median (not ulnar) sensory peak latency, and only for the model that was based on initial observations and exclusion of subjects with imputed BMI. The present study found no significant association between median or ulnar amplitudes and urine mercury concentration. CONCLUSIONS: At levels of urine mercury that overlap with the general population we found no consistent effect of urine mercury concentration on objectively measured sensory nerve function.
BACKGROUND:Mercury is known to be neurotoxic at high levels. There have been few studies of potential peripheral neurotoxicity among persons with exposure to elemental mercury at or near background levels. OBJECTIVES: The present study sought to examine the association between urinary mercury concentration and peripheral nerve function as assessed by sensory nerve conduction studies in a large group of dental professionals. METHODS: From 1997 through 2006 urine mercury measurements and sensory nerve conduction of the median and ulnar nerves in the dominant hand were performed, and questionnaires were completed, on the same day in a convenience sample of dental professionals who attended annual conventions of the American Dental Association. Linear regression models, including repeated measures models, were used to assess the association of urine mercury with measured nerve function. RESULTS: 3594 observations from 2656 subjects were available for analyses. Urine mercury levels in our study population were higher than, but substantially overlap with, the general population. The only stable significant positive association involved median (not ulnar) sensory peak latency, and only for the model that was based on initial observations and exclusion of subjects with imputed BMI. The present study found no significant association between median or ulnar amplitudes and urine mercury concentration. CONCLUSIONS: At levels of urine mercury that overlap with the general population we found no consistent effect of urine mercury concentration on objectively measured sensory nerve function.
Authors: Jamila Alessandra Perini; Mayara Calixto Silva; Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos; Paulo Victor Sousa Viana; Marcelo Oliveira Lima; Iracina Maura Jesus; Joseph William Kempton; Rogério Adas Ayres Oliveira; Sandra Souza Hacon; Paulo Cesar Basta Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-08-19 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Yi Wang; Jaclyn M Goodrich; Robert Werner; Brenda Gillespie; Niladri Basu; Alfred Franzblau Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2013-03-26 Impact factor: 7.963
Authors: Jaclyn M Goodrich; Hwai-Nan Chou; Stephen E Gruninger; Alfred Franzblau; Niladri Basu Journal: J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol Date: 2015-09-02 Impact factor: 5.563
Authors: Rajendra Prasad Parajuli; Jaclyn M Goodrich; Hwai-Nan Chou; Stephen E Gruninger; Dana C Dolinoy; Alfred Franzblau; Niladri Basu Journal: Environ Res Date: 2015-12-07 Impact factor: 6.498