RELATIONSHIP OF LEAD LEVEL UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD AND MECONIUM WITH NEONATAL NEUROBEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT

YE Ping*, LIU Xiaoxian, KE Furong, et al.

* Department of Pediatrics, Medical College, Wuhan University of Sicence and Technology, Wuhan, China

 

Objective: To explore the relationship of lead level in umbilical cord blood (CBPb) and meconium (MPb) with their neurobehavioral development in neonates with intrauterine exposure to lead at low level.

Method: level of lead in umbilical cord blood and meconium  were determined as indicators for intrauterine exposure to lead , and  neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA) total score, and score of non-biological auditory orientation  reactionNBAOR,non-biological visual orientation reactionNBVOR and biological visual and auditory orientation reactionBVAOR as effect indicators, were determined for 103 randomiy selected neonates delivered at the Department of Obstetrics and Gvnecology, Wuhan First Metallurgical Constrction Company Hospital, Qingshan District January to October 1999. A descriptively analysis was applied to evaluate their correlationship.The neonates were divided into two groups with high-and low-exposure based on the cutoff value of CBPb of  0.483µmol/L and MPb of  127.78mg/kg.

Result: There was significant difference only in scores of NBNA1 352.5 and 4 003.5and BVAOR1 310.5 and 4 045.5 between groups of high and low lead levels in umbilical cord blood. There was no rank correlation between lead level of umbilical cord blood and scores of NBNA,NBAOR,NBVOR and BVAOR.And ,there was significant difference in scores of NBNA1 636.0 and 3 720.0,NBAOR2 110.5 and 3 245.5,BVAOR1 828.5 and 3 527.5 and NBVOR1 836.0 and 3 520.0 between groups of high and low meconium lead levels .The level of lead in meconium correlated reversely with scores of NBNA,NBVOR and BVAOR.

Conclusion: Level of lead in meconium could be used be used as a more sensitive indicator for lead deposit in the fetal body during the period of pregnancy.

 

 

 
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