Gender dependent accumulation of dioxins in smokers

in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2005), 62(1), 61-62

Aims: To evaluate the contribution of tobacco smoking to dioxin accumulation. Methods: Dioxin (17 PCDD/F) concentrations in fasting blood from 251 subjects ( 161 never smokers, 54 past smokers, and 36 ... [more ▼]

Aims: To evaluate the contribution of tobacco smoking to dioxin accumulation. Methods: Dioxin (17 PCDD/F) concentrations in fasting blood from 251 subjects ( 161 never smokers, 54 past smokers, and 36 current smokers) were quantified. Results: Whereas serum dioxin concentrations of male smokers were on average 40% higher than those of nonsmokers, in women, smoking was associated with significantly lower serum dioxin levels. A synergistic potentiation of dioxin metabolism by tobacco smoke in women is postulated to explain these paradoxical findings. Conclusions: Current smoking is associated with gender dependent effects on dioxin body burden and is a potential source of confounding in human studies using blood dioxins as indicators of exposure. [less ▲]

Monitoring des animaux vivants : exemple d’un échantillonnage pour la détection des PCBs et des dioxines chez les bovins de boucherie en Belgique

in Epidémiologie et Santé Animale (2000), 38

In February 1999, a poisoning episode broke out in several industrial poultry farms in Belgium. The source of this contamination was found to be a stock of recycled fat that had been delivered by a firm ... [more ▼]

In February 1999, a poisoning episode broke out in several industrial poultry farms in Belgium. The source of this contamination was found to be a stock of recycled fat that had been delivered by a firm to several compound feed producers, between 19 and 31 January 1999. A very good correlation was observed between dioxins (PCDFs and PCDDs) and PCBs. Consequently a contamination mainly by PCBs was hypothesized. This finding made it possible to detect contaminated animals and animal products by dosage of the PCBs, more specifically by the 7 congeners with numbers 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180. The advantages of the dosage of PCBs compared to dioxins were its rapid test protocol and the fact that a larger number of laboratories could participate. In the cattle sector, 409 herds (0,81 p. cent) were submitted to the risk of feed contamination. The methodology used to detect a PCBs/dioxins contamination in the Belgian cattle population that was not submitted to the risk, is presented. This population is directly or indirectly destined for human consumption. It consisted in the systematic sampling of all calve fattening stations and all lots of exported bovines, and in the random sampling of slaughter cattle. This methodology is compared to the approach described in directive 96/23/CE. [less ▲]

once a day administration of amikacine in neonates: assessment of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity

in Developmental Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1993), 20

Blood pressure, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, and exposure to cadmium : a population study

in American Journal of Epidemiology (1991), 134(3), 257-267

In a population study conducted from 1985 to 1989 in Belgium, the authors investigated whether exposure to cadmium is associated with blood pressure elevation and with an increased prevalence of ... [more ▼]

In a population study conducted from 1985 to 1989 in Belgium, the authors investigated whether exposure to cadmium is associated with blood pressure elevation and with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. The participants, aged 20-88 years, constituted a random sample of the households living in two low exposure areas (n = 803) and two high exposure areas (n = 1,283). For each exposure level, a rural and an urban district were selected. The cadmium levels in blood (8.5 vs. 11.0 nmol/liter) and urine (7.2 vs. 8.7 nmol/24 hours) were significantly (p less than 0.001) raised in the two high exposure areas compared with the two low exposure areas (p less than 0.001). Systolic pressure was similar in both rural areas, but in the urban area with high exposure systolic pressure was 5 mmHg (p less than 0.001) higher than in the control town. Diastolic pressure was similar in the four districts and the same was true for the prevalence of hypertension and of other cardiovascular diseases. Adjustment of systolic pressure for blood and urinary cadmium did not remove the difference in systolic pressure between both urban areas, suggesting that it was not related to the cadmium burden on the environment. Further analyses in individual subjects showed that neither blood pressure nor the presence of cardiovascular diseases were significantly and positively correlated with blood and urinary cadmium. Thus, the present population study did not confirm the hypothesis that increased exposure of the population to cadmium is associated with blood pressure elevation and with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. [less ▲]

Demonstration of anti-laminin antibodies in the serum of healthy subjects

in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (1987), 41(4), 183-6

Antibodies directed against laminin, a glycoprotein of basement membranes, have been sought for in the sera of 347 healthy subjects by a method relying on the agglutination of laminin-coated latex ... [more ▼]

Antibodies directed against laminin, a glycoprotein of basement membranes, have been sought for in the sera of 347 healthy subjects by a method relying on the agglutination of laminin-coated latex particles. Fifty-five subjects (15.9%) hae been found to be positive, 37 with a titre of 2, 14 with a titre of 4 and 4 with a titer of 8. Applied to 106 patients whose a renal biopsy had been examined by immunofluorescence, the test yielded positive results in 91% of patients with linear deposits as compared to 10.3 and 15.4% respectively in patients presenting with and without granular deposits along the glomerular basement membrane. The titers in anti-laminin antibodies observed in these patients ranged from 2 to 8. The discovery of circulating anti-laminin antibodies in serum from subjects without clinical or subclinical sign of renal impairment rises several questions regarding the pathogenicity of these auto-antibodies and their possible association with genetic or environmental factors. [less ▲]

Anti-basement-membrane antibodies in the serum of healthy subjects.

in New England Journal of Medicine [=NEJM] (1986), 314(22), 1456-7

Anti-laminin antibodies in workers exposed to mercury vapour.

in Toxicology Letters (1983), 17(1-2), 113-6

In 62 male workers exposed to mercury vapour for 5.5 years on average, the results of several renal parameters were not significantly different from those found in a well-matched control group (n = 60 ... [more ▼]

In 62 male workers exposed to mercury vapour for 5.5 years on average, the results of several renal parameters were not significantly different from those found in a well-matched control group (n = 60). Circulating anti-laminin antibodies were found, however, in 8 workers exposed to mercury vapour but in none of the control workers. These results suggest that occupational exposure to mercury vapour may lead to immune dysfunction in a certain percentage of the exposed population. Whether such a finding is predictive of the occurrence of an immune glomerulonephritis remains to be evaluated. [less ▲]