Xenobiotic reduction and clinical improvements in capacitor workers: A feasible method

Abstract

Abstract Eleven capacitor workers, occupationally exposed to PCBs and other industrial chemicals, were treated with the detoxification method developed by Hubbard while thirteen co‐workers served as controls. The mean pretreatment PCB levels were 28.0 mg/Kg in adipose and 188.0 μg/L in serum. At post‐treatment, PCBs were reduced in serum by 42% (p<0.05) and in adipose by 30% for the six patients without concurrent disease. Patients with concurrent disease had a 10% reduction in adipose levels, while serum levels remained unchanged. Both adipose and serum PCB levels increased in controls. These differences were maintained at a 4‐month follow‐up examination, though the mean adipose PCB values in all groups were higher than at post‐treatment. Changes in cholesterol, triglycerides, serum AST, ALT, and gGT did not correlate with changes of PCB values. Clinically, at post‐treatment all patients reported a marked improvement in symptoms, with most of these improvements retained at follow‐up. No such improvements...