[Clinical stages of lead intoxication]

The authors, on performing a critical analysis of reported data on clinical manifestations of lead intoxication, suggest that the initial manifestations thereof presenting as changes in no other indices but laboratory ones, be regarded as a preclinical stage. Aside from generally recognized concepts of "mild" and "prominent" stages in lead intoxication the authors consider it logical and expediant to introduce a moderately severe stage manifested by vegetosensory polyneuropathy, astheno-vegetative syndrome, dyskinesia of the biliary and intestinal tracts, spastic colitis. It is in this very stage of lead intoxication that the patient, to the author's thinking, is to be assigned to some other job where he/she will not be exposed to lead or other adverse occupational factors. This will, we believe, permit preventing development of a clinically significant stage of lead intoxication manifested by encephalopathy, motor form of polyneuropathy, lead colic, anemia and hepatitis.