Clinical relevance of urinary delta‐aminolevulinic acid/logarithm of creatinine ratio in screening for occupational lead exposure

Abstract

Using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, the clinical relevance of urinary delta‐aminolevulinic acid concentration adjusted to the logarithm of creatinine concentration (ALA/log.Cn) proved to be better than that of uncorrected ALA or ALA/Cn ratio for the detection of blood lead levels (Pb‐B) exceeding 2.5, 3.0, or 3.5 μmol/l in 483 men occupationally exposed to lead. Ala/log.Cn yielded validities of 1.63, 1.75, and 1.79 at Pb‐B levels 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 μmol/l, respectively. The same values for ALA/Cn were 1.59, 1.70, 1.78 and for ALA 1.52, 1.65, 1.72, respectively. The simple adjustment to log.Cn makes urinary ALA determination more efficient in biological monitoring of the effect of occupational lead exposure.