benzofurans and Poisoning

Both Yucheng and Yusho were events of accidental exposure to highly doses of polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans in Asian people. Mortality experiences caused by various diseases were reported in both cohorts with similar and dissimilar findings. We thus conducted a meta-analysis of two cohorts to reevaluate the effects of PCBs and PCDFs on major causes of mortalities. Two recently updated Yucheng and Yusho mortality studies were included. For selected diseases, standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were extracted. Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model only when heterogeneity (I(2)  > 50% and/or p value <0.10 by the Q test) was not found. A total of 1,803 Yucheng subjects (male, N = 830; female, N = 973) with 48,751 person-years of follow-up and 1,664 Yusho subjects (male, N = 860; female, N = 804) with 50,773 person-years are included. An increase in all-cause mortality (pooled SMR=1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3, I(2)  = 0.0%), all cancers (pooled SMR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6, I(2)  = 0.0%), lung cancer (pooled SMR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.3, I(2) =0.0%), heart disease (pooled SMR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7, I(2)  = 43.4%) and hepatic disease (pooled SMR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.8, I(2)  = 0.0%) were found in pooled males. Significant elevation from liver cancer was found in pooled females (pooled SMR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.6, I(2)  = 0.0%). This meta-analysis of Yucheng and Yusho cohorts showed similar elevation from all cancer, lung cancer, heart disease and hepatic disease mortalities in exposed men. Furthermore, a new finding of elevated liver cancer mortality in exposed women was identified.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Benzofurans; Child; Child, Preschool; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Environmental Exposure; Female; Food Contamination; Heart Diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Liver Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Young Adult

Topics: Benzofurans; Biomarkers; Chlorobenzenes; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Dioxins; Food Contamination; Humans; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Reference Standards

Examples of cases in clinical medicine as well as occupational and environmental health studies are described to indicate the conditions under which reliable results for exposure assessment were obtained through biological monitoring. Biological monitoring is a solution-oriented practical approach. Four check points are described for effective biological monitoring, i.e., identification of the type of biological specimens available, selection of correct sampling time, a sensitive and selective analytical method, and interpretation based on a full knowledge of the metabolism.

Topics: Accidents, Occupational; Adult; Benzofurans; Child; Child, Preschool; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Humans; Male; Pesticides; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Thirty-six years have passed since the outbreak of Kanemi rice oil poisoning, namely, Yusho in the western Japan. However, even now the patients with Yusho have been still suffering from several objective and subjective symptoms. In order to improve or, if possible, to cure the such symptoms, the most important therapeutic treatment is considered to actively excrete the causative agents, that is, polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) from the bodies of the patients and to reduce their body burdens. In rats, dietary fiber and chlorophyll have been shown to promote the fecal excretion of dioxins and to reduce their levels in rat liver. In this study, we examined whether such kinds of effect were also observed by FBRA, which was the health food and relatively rich with dietary fiber and chlorophyll, in nine married Japanese couples. As a result, concentrations of PCDFs and PCDDs on the lipid weight basis in the blood of the FBRA-intake group in which they took 7.0 to 10.5g of FBRA after each meal and three times a day for one year were more lowered than those in the blood of the non-intake group; Blood levels of PCDFs and PCDDs in the FBRA-intake group were decreased by 41.0 and 37.2%, respectively, and those decreases were 33.7 and 29.4% in the non-intake group. Their total body burdens just before and one year after the study were calculated on the assumptions that the body fat was also contaminated with these dioxins at their blood levels on the lipid weight basis and the content of body fat was 20% of the body weight. Then, we computed the average amounts in excretion of PCDFs and PCDDs from the body in both the FBRA-intake and non-intake groups. Consequently, the amounts of excretion of PCDFs and PCDDs in the FBRA-intake group were 1.81 and 1.74 times, respectively, greater than those in the non-intake group. Therefore, FBRA seemed to promote the fecal excretion of causative agents of Yusho, from the human body. We also expect FBRA to reduce their body burdens of patients with Yusho and to improve some objective and subjective symptoms of Yusho patients.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Benzofurans; Body Burden; Chlorophyll; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Dietary Fiber; Feces; Female; Food Contamination; Food, Organic; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Rats; Time Factors

It is well-known that Yusho disease was caused by polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and that 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-Pentachlorodibenzofuran (PnCDF), 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8- and 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-Hexachlorodibenzofurans (HxCDFs) still retain in the patient bodies. As patients usually suffer from various chronic syndrome, an effective treatment is extremely needed. In order to assess the rice bran fiber (RBF) and cholestyramine on stimulating faecal excretion of PCDFs, two clinical trials were carried out in 1990 and 1991. In the first trial in 1990, 10 g of RBF (dietary fiber content was 50%) and 4 g of cholestyramine were administered to four Yusho patients three times a day for a week. The stool from patients were collected a week before and during the administration. These were pooled respectively, and then two samples for measurement. In the second trial in 1991, 10 g of dietary fiber rich RBF (refined-RBF, dietary fiber content was 85%) and 4 g of cholestyramine were administered to four Yusho patients three times a day for two weeks. In this trial, three stool samples were obtained from each patient, ie., a week before administration, and first and second week during administration. Level of PCDFs was determined by high resorption GC/MS and the following results were obtained. 1) In the first trial (1990) the faecal excretion of PnCDF and HxCDFs increased at the rates of 42-88% and 7-47%, respectively, in three out of four patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Benzofurans; Cholestyramine Resin; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Dietary Fiber; Feces; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oryza; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls

To investigate the therapeutic effects of rice bran fiber (30 g/day) and cholestyramine (12 g/day) for Yusho, clinical signs and symptoms, and laboratory examinations were studied before, during and after 14 day-treatment in four patients with Yusho. The increases of bowel movements and abdominal distention were observed in two of these patients, although no effect was seen in physical findings. In peripheral blood cells, red blood cell counts decreased significantly, from 430 +/- 47 x 10(4)/mm3 (mean +/- SD) to 378 +/- 48 x 10(4)/mm3 (p < 0.01) after therapy. Hemoglobin as well as hematocrit levels were also reduced significantly afer the therapy. However, no significant effect of the treatment was observed in white blood cell counts or platelet counts. In biochemical parameters, a significant depression was observed in total cholesterol levels after the therapy (from 262 +/- 31 mg/dl to 179 +/- 33 mg/dl; p < 0.005). A significant elevations was observed in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and sodium, while significant depressions were found in serum levels of cholinesterase, total protein, albumin, gamma-globulin, and potassium.

Topics: Benzofurans; Cholestyramine Resin; Dietary Fiber; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oryza; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polymers

Topics: Age Factors; Benzofurans; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Indoles; Infant; Isoxazoles; Male; Piperazines; Piperidines; Poisoning; Psychotropic Drugs; Risk Factors; Time Factors; Vilazodone Hydrochloride

In 1979, approximately 2,000 people in central Taiwan were accidentally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans due to ingestion of contaminated cooking oil. This event was called Yucheng, "oil-syndrome" in Chinese. We followed the exposed persons and compared their cause-specific mortality with that of neighborhood referents 30 years after the accident.. We obtained age- and gender-matched referents from the 1979 neighborhoods of the exposed people. Cause-specific mortality was compared between exposed subjects (N=1803) and their neighborhood referents (N=5170) using standardized mortality ratios (SMR). Total person-years for the Yucheng subjects and neighborhood referents were 48,751 and 141,774, respectively.. The SMR for all causes (SMR=1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3), diseases of the circulatory system (SMR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.6), and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (SMR=6.4, 95% CI: 2.8-12.7) were elevated in Yucheng subjects. Among Yucheng males, the SMRs for diseases of the digestive system (SMR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-2.8), malignant neoplasm of stomach (SMR=3.5, 95% CI: 1.5-7.0), and malignant neoplasm of lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue (SMR=3.0, 95% CI: 1.1-6.6) were increased. The SMR for total neoplasms was increased (SMR=1.3, 95% CI: 0.9-1.7).. We conclude that exposure to PCBs/PCDFs at levels that produced symptoms in many affects mortality patterns 3 decades after exposure.

Topics: Accidents; Adolescent; Adult; Benzofurans; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Food Contamination; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Taiwan; Young Adult

Topics: Benzofurans; Biomarkers; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Female; Food Contamination; Humans; Male; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Severity of Illness Index

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Benzofurans; Biomarkers; Blood Chemical Analysis; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Food Contamination; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; Humans; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning

We describe here three cases involving acute fatalities due to benfuracarb ingestion and the forensic toxicological implications. Benfuracarb, a carbamate insecticide and its main metabolite carbofuran, were detected using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry (GC/MS) after extraction with ethyl acetate and then quantified using gas chromatography (GC) equipped with NPD. The blood levels of benfuracarb and carbofuran were in the range of 0.30-2.32 microg/ml and 1.45-1.47 microg/ml, respectively. Benfuracarb was not detected in urine, but carbofuran was detected in the range of 0.53-2.66 microg/ml.

Topics: Adult; Benzofurans; beta-Alanine; Carbofuran; Chromatography, Gas; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Female; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Insecticides; Male; Poisoning; Suicide

Blood samples of Yusho and control persons were analyzed for individual congeners of PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs by high resolution GC/MS. Concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDF, 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexa-CDF and 2,3,3',4,4',5-hexa-CB in Yusho blood were up to 56 times higher than the corresponding concentrations in the control blood. These high concentrations have persisted for 23 years after the incident. Concentrations of 3,3',4,4',5-penta-CB and 2,3',4,4',5-penta-CB in some Yusho blood were lower than the control blood. In Yusho blood, 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDF contributed the highest toxicity (TEQ 77-248 ppt in lipid) among the congeners determined and toxic contribution of PCDFs was very large (41-77%) in the chlorinated pollutants. Thirty PCB congeners were identified in the blood of Yusho patients in 1996 by GC/MS. The average total PCB concentration in Yusho blood were 4.9 times higher than that of the controls. Characteristic PCB congeners in Yusho patients were 2,2',3,4,4',5-hexa-CB, 2,3,3',4,4',5-hexa-CB and 2,3,3',4,4',5'-hexa-CB and their concentration ratios to the controls were 8-19.

Topics: Adult; Benzofurans; Food Contamination; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Male; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polymers; Time Factors

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in blood samples from 83 Yusho patients and 39 normal control subjects in 1995. The average concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs in the blood of Yusho patients were 14, 128 and 14 pg toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ)/g, lipid, respectively. The levels of these compounds in the blood of normal subjects were 14, 10 and 8 pg/g lipid, respectively. Thus, although the average levels of PCDDs and Co-PCBs in the blood of Yusho patients were similar to those of control subjects, the PCDF level in Yusho patients was 12.8 fold higher than in normals. Average concentrations of total PCBs in the blood of Yusho patients and normal control subjects were 789 and 339 ng/g lipid, respectively. Thus, the PCB level in the blood of Yusho patients was 2.3 fold higher than in normal subjects. To test the reproducibility of determination of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs, three normal blood samples were analyzed twice. These analyses gave similar results each time. Since, these compounds could be measured in five-milliliter blood samples, they can be monitored in Yusho patients.

Topics: Benzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Food Contamination; Humans; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and it's related compounds such as polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) can be detected in the body in Yusho patients, a condition caused by ingestion of contaminated rice oil with these compounds. These compounds are excreted out of the body in small amounts directly in the feces from the wall of the intestine. We found the PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) in the sebum of Yusho patients and normal subjects, and there was significant correlation between their concentrations in sebum and blood in both patients and normal control subjects. The concentration of TEQ (toxic equivalent quantity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: TCDD) in sebum of Yusho patients (106 pg/g lipid) was half that in the blood (215 pg/g lipid), while that of normal subjects (29 pg/g lipid) was similar to that in the blood (34 pg/g lipid). On the other hand, in Yusho patients the concentrations of TEQ in the sebum and in blood were 2.3 and 6.4 fold higher than those in normal subjects. We concluded that dioxins and it's related compounds in Yusho patients and normal subjects were excreted not only in the feces but also in the sebum.

Topics: Benzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Food Contamination; Humans; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Sebum

We previously reported that high risk environmental contaminants such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are excreted not only in feces but also in the sebum of the face and body in both normal subjects and Yusho patients. A combination of administration of rice bran fiber and cholestyramine increased fecal excretion of PCDFs and PCBs. In the present study, we stimulated excretion of these compounds in sebum using a ceramic sand bath, a kind of sand bath using small ceramic balls (3.5 mm diameter) instead of natural sand. Five normal volunteers participated in this experiment. Sebum eliminated from the body on bathing ceramic sand bath was collected and weighed and then concentrations of the compounds interest in the sebum were determined. We also examined the effects varying the bath conditions such as temperature of sand, length of bathing time and frequency of taking bath on the amounts of the compounds in the eliminated sebum. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. The average amount of sebum per one bath eliminated from the body during the ceramic sand bath was 0.252 g, and those of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in it were 2.2, 2.0 and 2.2 pg of TEQ (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalent quantity). It was considered that the amounts of these compounds corresponded to between one quarter and third of those eliminated through the sebum in a day. On the other hand, 0.05 g of the sebum was collected from the face during the bath, included 0.39, 0.39 and 0.59 pg TEQ for PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs, respectively. 2. As the number of bathing times a day increased, the amount of sebum per bath gradually decreased. However, we could not determine the influence of the conditions of the bath such as temperature and time.

Topics: Ammotherapy; Benzofurans; Ceramics; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Humans; Oryza; Physical Stimulation; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Sebum

The blood of 16 Yusho patients sampled from 1982 (14 years after the incident) to 1992 were analyzed for congeners of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with electron capture detection, respectively. Biological half-lives of PCDFs and PCBs were estimated by following the change of blood concentrations of the Yusho patients in the equation of 1-compartment model. The biological half-lives of 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-penta-CDF and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-hexa-CDF in 8 individuals varied from 6.0 to 76 years with median 11.7 years and from 4.8 to 26.5 years with median 7.0 years, respectively. The half-lives of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-hepta-CDF in 4 individuals varied from 2.1 to 15 years. Concentrations of PCBs in 13 individuals were estimated to be slowly decreased and increased with several years half-life in about half-and-half numbers.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Benzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Female; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Half-Life; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Time Factors

Levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs were measured in human breast milk obtained from two Yusho patients and nine healthy subjects. The concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in the breast milk of respective Yusho patients were 18.2 and 28.9, 168.8 and 418.3, and 23.8 and 55.1 pg Toxic Equivalents (TEQs)/g fat, respectively, and their mean concentrations in normal controls were 8.2, 5.1 and 21.8 pg TEQ/g fat, respectively. The results also indicated that there was a significant difference between Yusho patients and normal subjects in the concentrations of certain isomers of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in the breast milk. For example, the levels of 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-HxCDD were 4 and 8 times higher than the mean concentration in the normal subjects, and 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-PeCDF, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-HxCDF and 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-HxCDF, so-called 'Yusho isomers' were 15 to 98 times higher than those in the normal subjects. Daily intakes of TEQ values were estimated to be 506 and 2200 pg TEQs/kg/day for breast-feeding babies of Yusho patients, and to be from 97 to 197 pg TEQs/kg/day for healthy subjects. These TEQ values were much greater than the ADI of 1-10 pg/kg/day, therefore, we should give due attention to the possible health effects due to PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in the breast milk of healthy mothers, as well as Yusho mothers.

Topics: Adult; Benzofurans; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Milk, Human; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Polymers

We investigated the stimulating effect of dietary fiber on fecal excretion of PCDF and PCDD stored in the rat body. Twenty-eight male rats (71-74g body weight) were orally administered with 1ml of the causal rice oil of Yusho desease. The rice oil was contaminated with 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-pentaCDF (691.4ng), 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-hexaCDF (708.6ng), 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-hexaCDF (128.4ng), 1, 2, 3, 7, 8-pentaCDD (7.2ng), 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-hexaCDD (34.1ng), 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9-hexaCDD (20.1ng) and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8-heptaCDD (115.9ng). The animals were fed a control diet containing 10% cellulose for seven days. Twenty-eight rats consisting of four rats a group were housed and rats of each group were given a treatment diet containing 10% rice-bran-fiber (RBF), 5% cholestyramine, 10% RBF + 5% cholestyramine, 10% RBF + 5% cholestyramine + 1% squalane, 10% burdock-fiber, 10% corn-fiber and 10% soybean-fiber during a period from eight to twenty-one days. The remaining four rats served as controls. PCDF and PCDD in feces, liver, small intestine and gastrointestinal tract were analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. PCDF level in small intestine of rats administered with RBF + cholestyramine showed a decrease of 40% over the level of control rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animals; Benzofurans; Dietary Fiber; Feces; Male; Oryza; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; Polymers; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stimulation, Chemical

The blood of 3 Yu-cheng patients sampled from 1980 to 1989 were analyzed for congeners of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) by high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-electron capture detection. The high concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-penta-, 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexa- and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-hepta-CDFs (15.4, 37.7 and 4.8 ppb in lipid basis, respectively) were eliminated from the blood at half-lives of 2.14, 2.56 and 2.32 years, respectively. The high concentrations of 8 PCB congeners in the blood were also decreased with time at half-lives of 1.16-4.56 years. The half-lives of retainable PCB congeners were about 2 times longer than those of the PCDF congeners.

Topics: Adult; Benzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Female; Humans; Male; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Retrospective Studies; Taiwan

3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (T4CB), 3,4,5,3',4'-pentachlorobiphenyl (P5CB) and 3,4,5,3',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (H6CB) [Co-PCBs] in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of seven Yusho patients and eight normal controls were determined to assess the contribution in the risk caused by the Yusho causual agents (PCBs, PCDFs, PCDDs and Co-PCBs) by using high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode. 3,4,3',4'-T4CB, 3,4,5,3',4'-P5CB and 3,4,5,3',4',5'-H6CB were detected in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the Yusho patients at the levels, of 6 to 29 ppt, of 32 to 130 ppt and of 160 to 1,140 ppt, respectively. The TCDD-Eq (Equivalents) value calculated by TCDD-TEfs (Toxic Equivalent factors) was from 8 to 30 ppt. On the other hand, 3,4,3',4'-T4CB, 3,4,5,3',4'-P5CB and 3,4,5,3',4',5'-H6CB were detected in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of normal controls at the levels, of 3 to 9 ppt, of 41 to 280 ppt and of 47 to 200 ppt, respectively. The TCDD-Eq value calculated by TCDD-TEfs was from 9 to 57 ppt. In the Yusho patients, the average TCDD-Eq value calculated by TCDD-TEfs of the residual Co-PCBs, PCDFs and PCDDs was 17, 491 and 24 ppt, respectively. Therefore, we concluded that the typical symptoms for the Yusho patients are caused mostly by PCDFs.

Topics: Adipose Tissue; Adult; Benzofurans; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Female; Food Contamination; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins

Results of Yusho annual inspection were reviewed from the view point of correlation of PCBs, PCQs and PCDFs concentration in blood or subcutaneous adipose tissue and clinical findings. To make discussion quantitative, fifteen terms of clinical findings on Yusho disease were quantified on the severity by evaluating (+) as 2 points, (+-) as 1 point and (-) as 0 point. First, the temporal variations of the severity of clinical findings on 5 Yusho patients were figured. Additionally, the temporal variations of blood triglyceride and PCBs concentration, and GOT were also surveyed. The adopted terms of clinical findings were general malaise, cough, sputum, headache, abdominal pain, peripheral neuropathy, soreness of joints, deformity of nails, comedo formation, acne-like eruption, secondary infection, scar formation, disorder of Meibomian glands, edema of eye lids and increased discharge from the eyes. During the investigated period from 1972 to 1988 the total score of clinical findings clearly decreased on two patients who had high score, tended to decrease on two other patients, and was not clear on another patient. Secondly, the correlation coefficients were calculated between each of PCDFs, PCBs or PCQs concentration in subcutaneous adipose tissue or blood and the total score at the year in which the adipose tissue and blood were taken. For the female patients the correlation coefficient of PCDFs concentration in subcutaneous adipose tissue and total score of clinical findings was the highest of all (r = 0.9885). However, for the male patients it was not available because the number of the subjects was only two. Thus far it has been reported that the powers of PCBs gas chromatogram pattern and PCQs concentration as criteria for Yusho diagnosis are low as for the subjects who belonged to the border area between Yusho patients and normal persons. This survey suggests that PCDFs concentration in subcutaneous adipose tissue can be a potent criterion that has a high correlation with the clinical findings of Yusho.

Topics: Adipose Tissue; Benzofurans; Chlorobenzenes; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Food Contamination; Humans; Japan; Male; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Any effective therapy for elimination of causal agents remaining in Yusho patients was not found until now. To know the profile of fecal excretion of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the amounts of PCDFs and PCBs in the stool of six Yusho patients with the typical symptoms were determined. The stool samples of Yusho patients were collected in 1989. PCDFs, i.e., 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF), 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PnCDF), 1,2,3,4,7,8- and 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofurans (HxCDFs), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzofuran (HpCDF) and octachlorodibenzofuran (OCDF) were detected in all of the samples. PCDFs found in the stool samples were mostly PnCDF and HxCDFs. Of PCDFs detected, PnCDF and HxCDFs contributed to 42 +/- 4.7% and 43 +/- 5.5% as mean +/- SE, respectively. The fecal excretion of PnCDF and HxCDFs in Yusho patients was 720 +/- 490 pg/day and 790 +/- 620 pg/day as mean +/- SE, respectively. On the other hand, the fecal excretion of PnCDF and HxCDFs in normal controls was 32 +/- 13 pg/day and 47 +/- 5.2 pg/day as mean +/- SE, respectively. The fecal excretion of PnCDF and HxCDFs in Yusho patients was about 23 times and 17 times each higher than that in normal controls. The fecal excretion of PCBs in Yusho patients and normal controls was 400 +/- 430 ng/day and 150 +/- 39 ng/day, respectively, as mean +/- SE. In order to promote the excretion of these toxic chemicals in the stool of Yusho patients, the patients were continuously administered with cholestyramine, an anion exchange resin, at a dose of 4 g, 3 times a day, for 6 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Benzofurans; Cholestyramine Resin; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; Feces; Food Contamination; Humans; Oryza; Plant Oils; Poisoning; Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Topics: Adult; Amiodarone; Antibody Specificity; Benzofurans; Digoxin; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; Poisoning; Ventricular Fibrillation