These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Subjective complaints in persons under chronic low-dose exposure to lower polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
    Author: Broding HC, Schettgen T, Hillert A, Angerer J, Göen T, Drexler H.
    Journal: Int J Hyg Environ Health; 2008 Oct; 211(5-6):648-57. PubMed ID: 18396099.
    Abstract:
    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been in widespread industrial use in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite a worldwide reduction, environmental exposure remains an issue especially in contaminated buildings. Due to the ubiquitous presence and poor degradation of PCBs, public health concerns continue to exist; however, evidence on the actual health effects of chronic low-dose exposure is scanty. The objective of the present study is an assessment of subjective complaints of exposed subjects in comparison to a non-exposed control group and their inter-relation to plasma levels of PCB congeners. The plasma concentrations of PCB congeners were measured in 583 subjects who had worked for an average of 14.7+/-9.6 years in a contaminated building in Germany, and 205 control subjects working in a non-contaminated building. Subjective complaints were assessed with the 24-item 'Giessen Subjective Complaints List' (GSCL-24). The subjects under chronic low-dose exposure scored significantly higher values on all the GSCL subscales except 'stomach complaints' in comparison to the non-exposed subjects and a 'normal' sample derived from the literature. However, thorough statistical analysis revealed no correlation of symptoms and PCB congener plasma concentration; the scores on the subscale 'exhaustion were even higher in subjects with low PCB concentration. Subjects working in a PCB-contaminated building report more subjective complaints in comparison to non-exposed subjects, but the complaints are not related to current PCB plasma concentrations.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]