| Disease/Syndrome |
Encephalopathy, chronic solvent |
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| Category |
Chronic Poison |
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| Acute/Chronic |
Chronic |
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| Synonyms |
Chronic painters' syndrome; Psycho-organic solvent syndrome; Organic solvent dementia |
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| Comments |
Chronic solvent encephalopathy or "chronic painters' syndrome" refers to a central nervous system disorder that can follow many years of heavy exposure to solvents. It is difficult to distinguish this disorder from depression, conversion reaction, malingering, and other injuries to the brain. [LaDou, p. 382] A study of 85 painters by Mikkelsen showed that changes in neurobehavioral dysfunction were related to the degree of past solvent exposure. There was little risk of organic brain damage in workers with fewer than 13 years of exposure to the equivalent of a time-weighted average of 40 ppm of white spirit. [Mixed solvent exposure and organic brain damage. A study of painters. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl 1988;118:1-143] A workshop of the World Health Organization described three effects from chronic exposure to organic solvents: 1) organic affective syndrome (reversible irritability, fatigue and difficulty concentrating , 2) mild chronic toxic encephalopathy (sustained mood changes and impairment of intellectual function), and 3) severe chronic toxic encephalopathy (irreversible dementia characterized by deterioration of memory and cognitive function). [Levy, p. 580] This syndrome was first diagnosed in Swedish clinics in the 1970s among painters and boatbuilders (styrene), but it is rarely seen now. [Wegman DH, Hogstedt C. Status Report on Swedish work environment research--history, context and international evaluation. Scand J Work Environ Health 2007, vol 33, suppl 1, p. 12] The most hazardous solvents are volatile at room temperature. They are or were commonly used in open processes such as degreasing metals and thinning paints. They are not obnoxious in smell or irritating effects--workers could tolerate high concentrations on a daily basis. See the Process, "Painting (Solvents)." |
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| Latency/Incubation |
Years to decades |
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| Diagnostic |
History; Mental status examination; Neuropsychological testing |
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| ICD-9 Code |
349.82 |
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| Reference Link |
PubMed: Neurobehavioural tests and systems to assess neurotoxic exposures in the workplace and community |
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| Related Information in Haz-Map |
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| Symptoms/Findings |
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
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| Job Tasks |
High risk job tasks associated with this disease:
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| Agents |
Hazardous agents that cause the occupational disease:
- 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane
- 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
- 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
- 1,1,2-Trichloroethane
- 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydronaphthalene
- 1,2,3-Trichloropropane
- 1,2-Dichloroethylene, all isomers
- 1,3-Dioxolane
- 1,4-Dioxane
- 1-Bromopropane
- 1-Hexanol
- 1-Nitropropane
- 2-Butanone
- 2-Butoxyethanol
- 2-Butoxyethyl acetate
- 2-Isopropoxyethanol
- 2-Methoxyethanol
- 2-Nitropropane
- Acetone
- Acetyl acetone
- Benzyl acetate
- Carbon tetrachloride
- CHLORINATED SOLVENTS
- Chlorobenzene
- Cumene
- Cyclohexane
- Cyclohexanol
- Cyclohexanone
- Cyclopentane
- Decahydronaphthalene
- Diacetone alcohol
- Diethyl ketone
- Diethylene glycol dibutyl ether
- Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether
- Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether
- Diethylene glycol monohexyl ether
- Diisobutyl ketone
- Dimethylformamide
- Dipropyl ketone
- Dipropylene glycol methyl ether
- Ethyl acetate
- Ethyl alcohol
- Ethyl benzene
- Ethyl butyl ketone
- Ethyl lactate
- GLYCOL ETHERS
- Isoamyl acetate
- Isoamyl alcohol
- Isobutyl acetate
- Isobutyl alcohol
- Isopropyl acetate
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Isopropyl ether
- Kerosene
- Mesityl oxide
- Methyl acetate
- Methyl isoamyl ketone
- Methyl isobutyl carbinol
- Methyl isobutyl ketone
- Methyl n-butyrate
- Methyl propyl ketone
- Methylal
- Methylcyclohexanol
- Methylene chloride
- n-Amyl acetate
- n-Butyl acetate
- n-Butyl alcohol
- n-Butyl lactate
- n-Hexane
- N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone
- n-Propyl acetate
- n-Propyl alcohol
- Naphtha (coal tar)
- Nonane
- o-Chlorotoluene
- o-Dichlorobenzene
- o-Methylcyclohexanone
- ORGANIC SOLVENTS
- Petroleum distillates
- Propylene glycol monomethyl ether
- sec-Amyl acetate
- sec-Butyl acetate
- sec-Butyl alcohol
- sec-Hexyl acetate
- Stoddard solvent
- Styrene
- tert-Butyl acetate
- tert-Butyl alcohol
- Toluene
- Trichloroethylene
- Turpentine
- VM & P Naphtha
- Xylene isomers
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