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Current Environmental Health Reports Sep 2015Mercury affects the nervous system and has been implicated in altering heart rhythm and function. We sought to better define its role in modulating heart rate... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Mercury affects the nervous system and has been implicated in altering heart rhythm and function. We sought to better define its role in modulating heart rate variability, a well-known marker of cardiac autonomic function.
DESIGN
This is a systematic review study.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, Embase, TOXLINE, and DART databases without language restriction. We report findings as a qualitative systematic review because heterogeneity in study design and assessment of exposures and outcomes across studies, as well as other methodological limitations of the literature, precluded a quantitative meta-analysis.
RESULTS
We identified 12 studies of mercury exposure and heart rate variability in human populations (ten studies involving primarily environmental methylmercury exposure and two studies involving occupational exposure to inorganic mercury) conducted in Japan, the Faroe Islands, Canada, Korea, French Polynesia, Finland, and Egypt. The association of prenatal mercury exposure with lower high-frequency band scores (thought to reflect parasympathetic activity) in several studies, in particular the inverse association of cord blood mercury levels with the coefficient of variation of the R-R intervals and with low-frequency and high-frequency bands at 14 years of age in the Faroe Islands birth cohort study, suggests that early mercury exposure could have a long-lasting effect on cardiac parasympathetic activity. Studies with later environmental exposures to mercury in children or in adults were heterogeneous and did not show consistent associations.
CONCLUSIONS
The evidence was too limited to draw firm causal inferences. Additional research is needed to elucidate the effects of mercury on cardiac autonomic function, particularly as early-life exposures might have lasting impacts on cardiac parasympathetic function.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Autonomic Nervous System; Child; Environmental Exposure; Female; Heart; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System; Occupational Exposure; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
PubMed: 26231507
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-015-0053-0 -
Cadernos de Saude Publica Jul 2012Mercury is neurotoxic, and numerous studies have confirmed its ototoxic effect. However, the diagnosis and follow-up of mercury exposure require understanding the... (Review)
Review
Mercury is neurotoxic, and numerous studies have confirmed its ototoxic effect. However, the diagnosis and follow-up of mercury exposure require understanding the pathophysiology of the chemical substance. Based on a systematic literature review, this study aimed to demonstrate whether mercury is ototoxic and to analyze its mechanism of action on the peripheral and central auditory system, in order to contribute to the diagnosis and follow-up of exposure. This was a systematic review of studies published on the effects of mercury exposure on the auditory system. The full text of the studies and their methodological quality were analyzed. The review identified 108 studies published on the theme, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria. All the articles in the analysis showed that mercury exposure is ototoxic and produces peripheral and/or central damage. Acute and long-term exposure produces irreversible damage to the central auditory system. Biomarkers were unable to predict the relationship between degree of mercury poisoning and degree of lesion in the auditory system.
Topics: Ear Diseases; Environmental Exposure; Hearing Loss; Humans; Mercury; Severity of Illness Index; Time Factors
PubMed: 22729255
DOI: 10.1590/s0102-311x2012000700003 -
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England) Dec 2017The waste and recycling sector is a growing part of industry. Whether health surveillance is indicated and how it should be undertaken is unclear. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The waste and recycling sector is a growing part of industry. Whether health surveillance is indicated and how it should be undertaken is unclear.
AIMS
To undertake a review of the literature to identify hazards to health, biological effects and occupational illnesses for workers in the sector.
METHODS
A systematic review of the published literature and two UK databases.
RESULTS
Rates of fatal, non-fatal injuries and self-reported work-related illness were found to be higher in the waste and recycling sector than in UK industry as a whole. There was an increased prevalence of respiratory, gastro-intestinal and skin complaints in workers exposed to compost relative to controls. They may also be at increased risk of extrinsic allergic alveolitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, occupational asthma and abnormalities of lung function. Workers involved with the recycling of batteries and cables may be at risk of lead poisoning and exposure to other heavy metals. There were case reports of mercury poisoning from the recycling of fluorescent lights. Cases of occupational asthma have been reported in association with wood and paper recycling. The recycling of e-waste may cause exposure to heavy metals and organic pollutants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers, dioxins and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, which have been associated with damage to DNA and adverse neonatal outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Ill-health and adverse biological effects have been described in waste and recycling workers, but their true prevalence has probably not been captured. Targeted health surveillance may be required to assess exposure and to identify occupational illness.
Topics: Humans; Manufacturing Industry; Occupational Diseases; Prevalence; Recycling; Waste Disposal Facilities; Workforce
PubMed: 29165683
DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqx153 -
Cadernos de Saude Publica Feb 2019Mercury is a metal found in the environment from natural and anthropogenic sources. It is highly toxic to ecosystems and living beings. Most human exposures come from...
Mercury is a metal found in the environment from natural and anthropogenic sources. It is highly toxic to ecosystems and living beings. Most human exposures come from ingestion of contaminated seafood, outgassing from dental amalgam or occupational exposure (e.g. gold mining), among other cases. Large populations are exposed to mercury, making it a very important issue from the public health perspective. Adverse health effects are commonly seen in the nervous system, but every organ is a potential target, such as the bone marrow. The main goal of this study was to assess the available evidence on human exposure to mercury and its hematological effects. A search strategy was constructed, including key terms (MeSH, text word and equivalents) for querying 2 repositories of master dissertation and PhD thesis (Fiocruz/ARCA and University of São Paulo) and 4 different electronic databases: BVS/LILACS, MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus and TOXLINE/NIH, for articles published from 1950 to February 2018. There was no language restriction and a tool (EPHPP) was used to assess the quality of included studies. According to pre-established criteria, 80 studies were retrieved, all of them observational (48 case reports, 24 cross-sectional, 6 case series and 2 cohorts), comprising 9,284 people. Despite the fact that most exposed ones (6,012) had normal blood cell count and mercury hematological effects did not seem very usual (1,914 cases: 14 severe and 29 deaths), three studies reported association (β) for anemia, lymphopenia, neutrophilia and basophilia. We concluded that the gathered information pointed to mercury hematotoxic effects, some of them may be serious and even fatal.
Topics: Brazil; Cell Count; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Hematologic Diseases; Hematologic Tests; Humans; Mercury; Mercury Compounds; Mercury Poisoning; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 30758455
DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00091618 -
Skin Appendage Disorders Oct 2018There are a number of toxic agents that can cause alopecia. In this review we summarize the known substances that cause alopecia as one of the clinical signs of overdose... (Review)
Review
IMPORTANCE/OBJECTIVE
There are a number of toxic agents that can cause alopecia. In this review we summarize the known substances that cause alopecia as one of the clinical signs of overdose or toxicity.
EVIDENCE REVIEW
A search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane for studies describing hair loss of any type as a result of exposure to or ingestion of a toxic agent. The search yielded 856 articles, with 47 studies included in this review.
FINDINGS
Agents with the strongest evidence of association to alopecia include thallium, mercury, selenium, and colchicine. Agents with described incidents include boric acid, arsenic, vitamin A, botulinum toxin, , and the synthetic opioid MT-45.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Numerous toxic agents have been implicated in alopecia, and the strength of evidence behind each agent varies. Toxic levels of thallium and colchicine have long been established to cause alopecia, as compared to agents such as botulinum toxin A and synthetic recreational drugs which have less literature describing their links to alopecia and will need further investigation to characterize their relationships to hair loss. Knowledge of typical presentations of hair loss will aid in the development of a differential diagnosis for patients presenting with alopecia.
PubMed: 30410891
DOI: 10.1159/000485749 -
Annals of Global Health Oct 2019Workers in the informal economy often incur exposure to well-documented occupational health hazards. Insufficient attention has been afforded to rigorously evaluating...
BACKGROUND
Workers in the informal economy often incur exposure to well-documented occupational health hazards. Insufficient attention has been afforded to rigorously evaluating intervention programs to reduce the risks, especially in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).
OBJECTIVES
This systematic review, conducted as part of the World Health Organization's Global Plan of Action for Workers' Health, sought to assess the state of knowledge on occupational health programs and interventions for the informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, an occupation which directly employs at least 50 million people.
METHODS
We used a comprehensive search strategy for four well-known databases relevant to health outcomes: PubMed, Engineering Village, OVID Medline, and Web of Science, and employed the PRISMA framework for our analysis.
FINDINGS
Ten studies met the inclusion criteria of a primary study focused on assessing the impact of interventions addressing occupational health concerns in ASGM. There were no studies evaluating or even identifying comprehensive occupational health and safety for this sector although target interventions addressing specific hazards exist. Major areas of intervention-education and introduction of mercury-reducing/eliminating technology were identified, and the challenges and limitations of each intervention taken into assessment. Even for these, however, there was a lack of standardization for measuring outcome or impact let alone long-term health outcomes for miners and mining communities.
CONCLUSION
There is an urgent need for research on comprehensive occupational health programs addressing the array of hazards faced by artisanal and small-scale miners.
Topics: Conservation of Natural Resources; Environmental Pollution; Extraction and Processing Industry; Gold; Health Education; Humans; Informal Sector; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning; Mining; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Technology; Water Pollution; World Health Organization
PubMed: 31709160
DOI: 10.5334/aogh.2592 -
Food and Chemical Toxicology : An... Dec 2020Multiple medical, lifestyle, and environmental conditions, including smoking and particulate pollution, have been considered as risk factors for COronaVIrus Disease 2019...
Multiple medical, lifestyle, and environmental conditions, including smoking and particulate pollution, have been considered as risk factors for COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) susceptibility and severity. Taking into account the high level of toxic metals in both particulate matter (PM2.5) and tobacco smoke, the objective of this review is to discuss recent data on the role of heavy metal exposure in development of respiratory dysfunction, immunotoxicity, and severity of viral diseases in epidemiological and experimental studies, as to demonstrate the potential crossroads between heavy metal exposure and COVID-19 severity risk. The existing data demonstrate that As, Cd, Hg, and Pb exposure is associated with respiratory dysfunction and respiratory diseases (COPD, bronchitis). These observations corroborate laboratory findings on the role of heavy metal exposure in impaired mucociliary clearance, reduced barrier function, airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The association between heavy metal exposure and severity of viral diseases, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus has been also demonstrated. The latter may be considered a consequence of adverse effects of metal exposure on adaptive immunity. Therefore, reduction of toxic metal exposure may be considered as a potential tool for reducing susceptibility and severity of viral diseases affecting the respiratory system, including COVID-19.
Topics: Air Pollution; Animals; Arsenic; COVID-19; Cadmium; Environmental Exposure; Heavy Metal Poisoning; Humans; Lead; Mercury; Metals, Heavy; Respiratory Tract Diseases; SARS-CoV-2; Severity of Illness Index; Smoking
PubMed: 33069759
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111809