Correlation between clinical indicators of lead poisoning and oxidative stress parameters in controls and lead-exposed workers.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the involvement of oxidative damage in lead-induced toxicity in humans and to enlighten whether oxidative stress indicators are correlated with the known indices of lead toxicity. For these purposes, selected oxidative stress parameters along with some clinical indices of lead poisoning were determined in blood of battery plant workers and control subjects. Workers had significantly increased erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities, and decreased blood glutathione:glutathione disulfide ratio compared to the controls.