Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
05:12
Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
Detecting chronic solvent encephalopathy in occupations at risk
Heidi Furu1, Markku Sainio, Hanna Kaisa Hyvärinen
1Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. heidi.furu@fimnet.fi
Neurotoxicology
|May 8, 2012
Summary
A new screening method effectively identifies more cases of chronic solvent encephalopathy (CSE) in high-risk occupations. This stepwise approach, combining questionnaires and clinical exams, surpasses current occupational health practices in detecting this neurological condition.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Medicine
- Neurotoxicology
- Public Health
Background:
- Chronic solvent encephalopathy (CSE) is often under-reported globally due to diagnostic challenges and legislative variations.
- While declining in developed nations, new CSE cases persist, necessitating improved detection strategies.
- Current occupational health services (OHS) in Finland identify approximately 40 suspected and 7 occupational CSE cases annually.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of a stepwise screening procedure for detecting Chronic Solvent Encephalopathy (CSE) in at-risk trades.
- To compare the case-detection rate of this new method against existing occupational health service (OHS) practices in Finland.
- To evaluate the applicability of the screening method within primary healthcare settings.
Main Methods:
- A postal survey including the Euroquest (EQ) questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) was administered to 3,640 workers in high-exposure industries.
- A stepwise clinical examination was conducted on respondents meeting specific criteria: ≥3 EQ memory/concentration symptoms, sufficient exposure, BDI ≤18, AUDIT-C ≤8, and no alternative medical explanation.
- The study targeted workers aged 30-65 in industrial and construction painting, floor layering, printing, boat construction, reinforced plastics, and the metal industry.
Main Results:
- Out of 1,730 respondents (48% response rate), 129 individuals met the initial screening criteria.
- A total of 38 Chronic Solvent Encephalopathy (CSE) compatible cases were identified through clinical examinations.
- The stepwise screening method detected a significantly higher number of CSE-compatible cases compared to standard OHS practices.
Conclusions:
- A targeted, stepwise screening approach is more effective in identifying Chronic Solvent Encephalopathy (CSE) cases within high-risk occupational groups.
- This method, combining validated questionnaires and clinical assessments, can be integrated into occupational health services and primary care.
- The findings suggest that improved screening can enhance the recognition of under-reported occupational neurological disorders like CSE.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Hepatic Encephalopathy
DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...
01:36Types of Toxins
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
01:23Toxicity Testing in Animals
Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...