Abstract

Objective: To observe the clinical characteristics of occupational chronic fluorosis cases and follow up patients?condition changes after they have been transferred from fluoride work.

Methods: In January 2020, the clinical data of occupational chronic fluorosis cases diagnosed in our hospital and their corresponding two-year follow-up data were collected and analyzed. These cases happened in an aluminum factory between January 2010 to January 2020.

Results: Nine patients were diagnosed as occupational chronic mild fluorosis because of long bones and joints pain. Skeletal X-ray examination showed a result of skeletal fluorosis and increased urine fluoride. Among the six patients who have been followed up for two years, two of them showed improvements in both symptoms and skeletal X-ray examination results. Three patients?symptoms were alleviated, but their skeletal X-ray examination results showed no significant change. Besides them, the last patient?s symptoms and skeletal X-ray examination results were aggravated, which was considered related to still exposed to hydrogen fluoride in new position.

Conclusion: Changes of skeletal X-ray examination are the characteristics of occupational chronic fluorosis. By leaving the fluoride position, patients?clinical symptoms can be alleviated, and their bone lesions are not aggravated or even show a trend of alleviating in some cases.

*Original abstract online at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34218562/

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