Peripheral Neuropathy and Deterioration of the Cognitive Functions Associated to Chronic Exposure to Organophosphates

Irene Orozco-De Los Ríos; Pedro Miguel Sánchez-Vizcaíno; Diego González-Ramírez; José García-Piñón

2005, Number 6

<< Back Next >>

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc 2005; 43 (6)

Peripheral Neuropathy and Deterioration of the Cognitive Functions Associated to Chronic Exposure to Organophosphates

Orozco-De Los Ríos I, Sánchez-Vizcaíno PM, González-Ramírez D, García-Piñón J

Full text

How to cite this article

Language: Spanish
References: 17
Page: 479-486
PDF size: 149.80 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To analyze the relationship between the chronic exposure (EC) to organophosphated insecticides (IOF) with the presence of peripheral neuropathy (NP) and the deterioration of cog-nitive functions (DFC).
Design of the study: cross-section, comparative and observational.
Material and methods: Workers with more than three months of seniority, who participated in any stage of the process of production of IOF were included, and those with alterations in the neurological function were excluded. Two control groups were made up: the first one, without direct exposure to IOF, and the second one, without any exposure whatsoever to IOF. A physical examination was practiced on inferior limbs and a motor neuroconduction of the fibular nerves was carried out. The Minimum Exam of the Mental State was set (Mental Mini). The sampling was not random.
Results: It was found that the presence of DFC and the clinical data for NP were greater in the exposed group than in the controls, (p ‹.05). Besides, data with a tendency to the continuation in the parameters of latencies, widths and waves F for the motor neuroconduction of inferior limbs were presented.
Conclusions: The long term exposure to IOF is related to deterioration in the congnitive function; as well as to the neurological manifes-tations in inferior limbs that condition an injury in the peripheral nerve, without being con-clusive about the loss of its function.

REFERENCES

Eyer P. Neuropsychopathological changes by organophosphorus compounds. A review. Hum Exp Toxicol 1995;14:857-864.
2. Davies JE. Neurotoxin concerns of human pesti-cide exposures. Am J Ind Med 1990;18:327-331.
3. De Bleecker J, Van Den Neucker K. Colardyn F. Intermediate syndrome in organophosphorus poisoning: a prospective study. Crit Care Med 1993;21:1706-1711.
4. De Bleecker J. The intermediate syndrome in organophosphate poisoning: an overview of experi-mental and clinical observations. Clin Toxicol 1995;33:683-686.
5. Misra UK, Prasad M, Pandey CM. A study of cognitive functions and event related potential following organophosphate exposure. Electromyogr Clin Neurophyaloi 1994;34(4):197-203.
6. Misra UK, Nag D, Khan WA et al. A study of nerve conduction velocity, late responses and neuro-muscular synapse functions in organophosphate workers in India. Arch Toxicology 1988;61(6):496-500.
7. Stokes L, Stark A, Marshall E, Narang A. Neuro-toxicity among pesticide applicators exposed to organophosphates. Occup Env Med 1995;52:648-653.
8. Eyer P. Neuropsychopathological changes by organophosphorus compounds. A review. Hum Exp Toxicol 1995;14:857-864.
9. Palacios-Nava ME, Pilar-Paz R, Hernández-Robles S, Mendoza-Alvarado L. Sintomatología persistente en trabajadores industrialmente expuestos a plagui-cidas organofosforados. Salud Publica Mex 1999; 41:55-61.
Davies R, Ahmed G, Freer T. Chronic exposure to organophosphates: background and clinical picture. Adv Psych Treat 2000;6:187-192.
Davies R, Ahmed G, Freer T. Psychiatric aspects of chronic exposure to organophosphates: diagnosis and management. Adv Psych Treat 2000;6:356-361.
Pilkington A, Buchanan D, Jamal GA, Gilham R, Hansen, S, Kidd M et al. An epidemiological study of the relations between exposure to orga-nophosphate pesticides and indices of chronic peripheral neuropathy and neuropsychological abnormalities in sheep farmers and dippers. Occup Env Med 2001;58:702-710.
Jamal GA, Hansen S, Pinkilgton A, Buchanan D, Gilham RA, Abdel-Azis M, et al. A clinical neu-rological, neuropsychological, and neuropsycho-logical study of sheep farmers and dippers exposed to organophosphate pesticides. Occup Env Med 2002;59:434-441.
Roshini Janet PJ, Dawala Kusuma R, Ananda Rajita W, Lidwien Ann MS, Wim VanDer H. Effects of occupational exposure to organophosphate pesticides on nerve and neuromuscular function. Occup Env Med 2002;44(4):367-371.
Salvi RM, Lara DR, Ghisolphi ER, Portela LV, Díaz RD, Souza DO. Neuropsychiatric evaluation in subjects chronically exposed to organophosphate pesticides. Toxicol Sci 2003;72:267-271.
Hospital General de España. Reglamento de la Ley General de Salud en Materia de Investigación para la Salud; de acuerdo al Título segundo, Capítulo I, Artículo 17, Sección I, que trata acerca de que la investigación sin riesgo no requiere consentimiento informado. Madrid, España: Editorial Masson; 1999.
Dueñas A, Castrodeza J, Lozano R. Intoxicaciones agudas en medicina de urgencia y cuidados críticos. Barcelona: Masson; 1999. p. 326.