Neurobehavioral and health-related deficits in solvent-exposed painters

The health status of 133 solvent-exposed painters was evaluated using the Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES) and blood test results from a physical exam. The comparison group consisted of 51 sheetmetal workers, minimally exposed to solvents. Degree of solvent exposure was calculated using three different indices derived from questionnaire responses. Multivariate analyses, adjusted for age, alcohol consumption, and smoking, indicated that painters performed less well on the symbol digit learning and vocabulary tasks. Evidence was also found for a dose-effect relationship, particularly when several features of the work environment were considered in estimating exposure. Degree of solvent exposure predicted levels of serum lead, BUN, and SGOT. These findings indicate that questionnaire-based measures of solvent exposure can be useful predictors of neurobehavioral and health-related deficits. Verbal ability, often used by researchers as a measure of premorbid functioning, may be adversely affected by solvent exposure.