LEVELS OF POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS AND POLYCHLORINATED DIBENZOFURANS IN THE BLOOD, SUBCUTANEOUS ADIPOSE-TISSUE AND STOOL OF YUSHO PATIENTS AND NORMAL SUBJECTS

An effective therapy which assists the elimination of the residual chlorinated compounds in Yusho patients has still not been established. To determine the behavior of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in patients 20 years since the occurrence of Yusho disease, the concentrations of PCBs and PCDFs in the blood, subcutaneous adipose tissue and stools were investigated in six patients with typical symptoms of Yusho disease. The daily excretion levels of 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PnCDF), and 1,2,3,4,7,8- and 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofurans (HxCDFs) into the stools of Yusho patients were 200 to 1380 pg, and 190 to 1590 pg, respectively. Similarly, PCBs were excreted at levels of 320 to 1370 ng per day, into the stools. The amounts of PnCDF and HxCDFs excreted into the stool per day was correlated to the levels of those chemicals in the blood and subcutaneous adipose tissue. The daily levels of PnCDF and HxCDFs excreted into the stool were comparable with those in one gram of subcutaneous adipose tissue. The amounts of these chemicals excreted into the stools of six patients were considerably higher than those of three normal controls. The relationships among PCBs levels in blood, subcutaneous adipose tissue and stool were similar to those described above for PnCDF and HxCDFs, but were not clear. © 1992, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.