Abdominal pain in lead workers.

Thirty-four lead smelter workers with excessive lead absorption were evaluated and followed. Abdominal pain was present in 27 patients. Fifteen patients who had left the site of lead exposure experienced persisting abdominal pain for as long as 29 months; some of these demonstrated acceptable levels of lead in blood. There is no correlation between lead levels and persisting pain. Twenty-three patients developed abdominal pain with blood lead lower than 80 microgram/100 ml while working. Four out of 15 patients with persisting abdominal pain had blood lead between 40 and 60 microgram/100 ml while working. Typical lead-induced abdominal pain is a sensitive symptom of intoxication and may be a criterion for removal from exposure regardless of blood lead levels.