Occupational Neurologic Disorders in Korea

Kim, Yangho; Jeong, Kyoung Sook; Yun, Yong-Hun; Oh, Myoung-Soon

doi:10.3988/jcn.2010.6.2.64

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…For example, acute, high-level exposure to carbon disulfide produces psychosis, whereas chronic moderate exposure causes atherosclerosis-related health effects [7,8]. …”

Section: Basic Principles Of Neurotoxicologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various neurotoxins, including heavy metals, organic solvents and other chemicals, have been found to be responsible for these relatively specific neurological syndromes [8,9]. …”

Section: Clinical Syndromes Of Toxic Encephalopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Follow-up is also important in diagnosing patients with CTE. Subtle changes in mental functioning due to intoxication often go unrecognized unless the clinician specifically assesses these changes using sophisticated neuropsychological tests [8]. …”

Section: Clinical Syndromes Of Toxic Encephalopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carbon disulfide poisoning is a highly typical and frequently encountered vascular encephalopathy [8,56]. Patients with carbon disulfide poisoning exhibit various clinical characteristics, including multiple brain infarctions [57-59], peripheral neuropathy [60], coronary heart disease [61], retinopathy including microaneurysm of the fundus [62], hypertension [56], glomerulosclerosis of the kidney [63], and parkinsonian symptoms [52].…”

Section: Clinical Syndromes Of Toxic Encephalopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toxic Encephalopathy

Kim

2012

Safety and Health at Work

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This article schematically reviews the clinical features, diagnostic approaches to, and toxicological implications of toxic encephalopathy. The review will focus on the most significant occupational causes of toxic encephalopathy. Chronic toxic encephalopathy, cerebellar syndrome, parkinsonism, and vascular encephalopathy are commonly encountered clinical syndromes of toxic encephalopathy. Few neurotoxins cause patients to present with pathognomonic neurological syndromes. The symptoms and signs of toxic encephalopathy may be mimicked by many psychiatric, metabolic, inflammatory, neoplastic, and degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Thus, the importance of good history-taking that considers exposure and a comprehensive neurological examination cannot be overemphasized in the diagnosis of toxic encephalopathy. Neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging typically play ancillary roles. The recognition of toxic encephalopathy is important because the correct diagnosis of occupational disease can prevent others (e.g., workers at the same worksite) from further harm by reducing their exposure to the toxin, and also often provides some indication of prognosis. Physicians must therefore be aware of the typical signs and symptoms of toxic encephalopathy, and close collaborations between neurologists and occupational physicians are needed to determine whether neurological disorders are related to occupational neurotoxin exposure.

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“…For example, acute, high-level exposure to carbon disulfide produces psychosis, whereas chronic moderate exposure causes atherosclerosis-related health effects [7,8]. …”

Section: Basic Principles Of Neurotoxicologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various neurotoxins, including heavy metals, organic solvents and other chemicals, have been found to be responsible for these relatively specific neurological syndromes [8,9]. …”

Section: Clinical Syndromes Of Toxic Encephalopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Clinical Syndromes Of Toxic Encephalopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Clinical Syndromes Of Toxic Encephalopathymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toxic Encephalopathy

Kim

2012

Safety and Health at Work

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“…Since the long-term low-concentrated exposure to organic solvents was recognized mainly in Nordic countries in the 1970s, CTE has been considered as an occupational disease [ 1 , 2 ]. CTE is a disease that can progress from non-specific symptoms to mood disorders such as depression and further to decreased cognitive function and movement disorders [ 3 – 5 ]. The age of diagnosis varies according to the exposure period, and a high incidence is reported among males and specific occupations (e.g., painters, wooden surface finishers, floor layers) [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An aggravated return-to-work case of organic solvent induced chronic toxic encephalopathy

Seo

Kim

2018

Ann of Occup and Environ Med

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BackgroundOrganic solvent-induced chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE) is known as a non-progressive disorder that does not progress after diagnosis. The authors present a case those symptoms worsened after continued exposure to organic solvent after returning to work. Because such a case has not been reported in South Korea to the best of our knowledge, we intend to report this case along with literature review.Case presentationA 59-year-old man, who performed painting job at a large shipyard for 20 years, was receiving hospital treatment mainly for depression. During the inpatient treatment, severe cognitive impairment was identified, and he visited the occupational and environmental medicine outpatient clinic for assessing work relatedness. In 1984, at the age of 27, he began performing touch-up and spray painting as a shipyard painter. Before that he had not been exposure to any neurotoxic substances. In 2001, at the age of 44, after 15 years of exposure to mixed solvents including toluene, xylene and others, he was diagnosed with CTE International Solvent Workshop (ISW) type 2A. After 7 years of sick leave, he returned to work in 2006. And he repeated return-to-work and sick leave in the same job due to worsening of depressive symptoms. He had worked four times (2006–2010, 2011–2011, 2011–2011, 2016–2017) for a total of 5 years as a shipyard painter after first compensation. During the return-to-work period, the mean values of the mixed solvent index ranged from 0.57 to 2.15, and except for a one semiannual period, all mean values were above the standard value of 1. We excluded other diseases that can cause cognitive impairment like central nervous system diseases, brain injury, psychological diseases and metabolic diseases with physical examinations, laboratory tests, and brain image analysis. And finally, throughout neuropsychological tests, an overall deterioration in cognitive function was identified compared to 2002, and the deterioration types was similar to that often shown in the case of CTE; thus a diagnosis of CTE (ISW) type 3 was made.ConclusionThis case is showing that CTE can go on with continued exposure to mixed solvents. Appropriate “fitness to work” should be taken to prevent disease deterioration especially for the sick leave workers.

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Work ability score of solvent-exposed workers

Furu

Sainio

Hyvärinen

et al. 2018

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Even if memory and concentration symptoms were associated with higher solvent exposure, the effect of solvents on self-experienced work ability was relatively weak. This in line with the improved occupational hygiene and reduced solvent exposure levels in industrialized countries, thus the effect may be stronger in high-level exposure environments. As a single question, WAS is easily included, applicable, and recommendable in occupational screening questionnaires.

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Occupational Neurologic Disorders in Korea

Cited by 10 publications

References 47 publications

Toxic Encephalopathy

Toxic Encephalopathy

An aggravated return-to-work case of organic solvent induced chronic toxic encephalopathy

Work ability score of solvent-exposed workers

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