Vol. 10, No 1, 2003 pp. 47 - 51
UC 66.061.18::612.81 
THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC SOLVENTS
ON THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN EXPOSED WORKERS
Jovica Jovanović, Milan Jovanović
Institute of Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine,University of Niš
Summary. An analysis of the working conditions in the cartridge, drying and top-coat sections of paint and lacquer industry has shown an above permitted level of white spirit and toluene. The exposed group comprised 100 workers occupationally exposed to these noxae, whilst the control group included 55 workers who had never been exposed to the same agents. The exposed workers more frequently complained of numbness of the arm and leg, cramps in the shoulder and knee, and weakness in the arm and leg than did the control workers. The electromyoneurographic examination of the median and peroneal nerve showed that a decrease in motor and sensitive conduction velocity was more significant in the exposed group compared to the control. The reduction in motor and sensitive conduction velocity was in correlation with the length of exposure to the noxae. Terminal latency of the median and peroneal nerve was significantly longer in the exposed group compared to the control, with an increase proportional to the exposure length. The exposed workers had a significantly longer time of response to acoustic and visual stimuli. The results of the study suggest neurotoxic effects of the noxae detected in paint and lacquer industry.
Key words:  Organic solvents, median nerve, peroneal nerve, elecroneurographic examinations
UTICAJ ORGANSKIH RASTVARAČA
NA PERIFERNI NERVNI SISTEM EKSPONOVANIH RADNIKA
Kratak sadržaj: Analizom uslova radne sredine u pogonima šaržiranja, odležavanja i premaza industrije boja i lakova utvrđeno je prisustvo vajtšpirita i toluena iznad dozvoljenih vrednosti.
Eksponovanu grupu je činilo 100 radnika profesionalno eksponovanih ovim noksama, dok je u kontrolnoj grupi bilo 55 radnika koji nikada u svom radnom veku nisu bili izloženi hemijskim noksama.
Radnici eksponovanih grupa su se češće žalili na  trnjenje ruku i nogu  grčeve u ramenima i kolenima i slabost u nogama i rukama u odnosu na radnike kontrolne grupe. Elektroneurografski nalaz na n. medianusu i n. peroneusu pokazao je znatno manje brzine motorne i senzitivne provodljivosti u eksponovanoj u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu. Registrovano je smanjenje ovih brzina sa dužinom ekspozicije noksama na radnom mestu. Terminalna latenca na n. medianusu i n.peroneusu je statistički značajno veća u eksponovanoj u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu, pri čemu njena vrednost u eksponovanoj grupi raste sa dužinom eksponovanog radnog staža. Radnici eksponovane grupe su imali statistički značajno duže vreme reakcije na akustičku i vizuelnu draž u odnosu na radnike kontrolne grupe. Rezultati ovog rada ukazuju na  neurotoksične efekte noksi registrovanih u ovoj industriji.
Ključne reči: Organski rastvarači, n. peroneus, n. medianus, elektroneurografsko ispitivanje