[A study on occupational peripheral nerve disorders: a general view].

OBJECTIVES: The studies on occupational peripheral nerve disorders (OPD) in the workplace and future issues of OPD were overviewed based on the author's experiences.

METHODS: The author shows four case studies because of four chemicals; cross-sectional studies using nerve conduction velocity (NCV) on the effect on the peripheral nerve among workers exposed to carbon disulphide (CS2 ) in rayon manufacturing factories and studies on OPD among patients with vibration syndrome (VS) and non-specific cervicobrachial disorders (CBD).

RESULTS: Four cases of OPD due to chronic poisoning because of inorganic lead, thallium, n-hexane, and methyl bromide, respectively, were presented with clinical signs and symptoms of OPD and the cause-and-effect relationships were described. Cross-sectional epidemiological studies clarified that workers exposed to approximately 5ppm of CS2 showed NCV reduction in the lower extremities and those exposed to > 5ppm showed NCV reduction in the upper extremities. Multifocal damages due to VS was presented through high rate of patients with SCV reduction in multiple nerves. SCV reduction of the radial nerve in the index finger among patients with CBD was presented.

CONCLUSIONS: The various OPD phases were shown by case, patient, and epidemiological study. However, the recent decrease of work-related illness due to chemicals may result to OPD reduction. The issue of OPD including other factors and differential diagnosis, will remain eventually owing to introducing chemicals of which toxicity are unclear.