Hepatorenal dysfunctions in lead pollution

Environmental and occupational lead pollution is a common problem in both developing and industrialised countries. Both hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity are known to occur in persons with exposure to heavy metals. We studied both liver function and renal function and blood lead concentraton in random population sample of 372 men (age range, 24 to 55 years). In all the subjects we measured both liver and renal function tests and both blood lead and urinary concentration of lead. Raised blood and urinary lead concentrations were associated with moderate changes in liver function and abnormal renal function, reflected in decrease of albumin and increased levels of liver enzymes and raised urea and creatinine concentrations, and with a reduction in creatinine clearance rate as compared to apparently normal subjects. These findings emphasis the importance of measurement of blood lead concentrations in adults in the genereal population to combat the effects of lead toxicity before the clinical signs predominate.