Chelation Therapy in Workers Exposed to Lead

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Abstract
THE ACCELERATED rate of development of modern technology has considerably expanded the range of possible occupational health hazards. Unfortunately, other industrial health hazards known for centuries and extensively studied have not been completely eliminated, and disease continues to be seen. Inorganic lead is probably one of the most obvious examples of such long-known occupational hazards. The detection of lead poisoning, its diagnosis, treatment, and possible long-term effects remain areas of scientific and practical interest; much progress has been achieved in the last two decades. Chelation therapy in lead poisoning represented one such advance, and experience accumulated over 20 years has largely confirmed its effectiveness.1 Among the various chelating agents, the polyaminocarboxylic acids and particularly edetate disodium calcium have emerged as the agents of choice for the treatment of lead poisoning. Edetate disodium calcium has been shown, in terms of lead elimination and excretion, to be superior to both dimercaprol