Abstract
Urine and blood samples from the inhabitants in the Ichi river basin area polluted by Cd were collected for the examination of Itai-itai disease. Urine samples were analysed for specific gravity, creatinine, protein, glucose, retinol binding protein (RBP), amino-N, proline, Ca, P and Cd. Blood samples were analysed for protein, transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, Na, K, Cl, Ca, inorganic phosphorus, glucose, urea-N and creatinine. At the same time, X-ray examinations of bones were carried out Results obtained were as follows.
1. In the inhabitants whose urinary RBP were detected, urinary creatinine concentrations were lower, proteinuria with glucosuria were more frequent, and urinary excretions of amino-N, proline and Cd were increased, levels of protein, Ca, inorganic phosphorus in seurm were lower and levels of alkaline pholsphtase, Cl, urea-N, creatinine in serum was higher, as compared with those from the inhabitants whose urinary RBP were not detected.
2. In the inhabitants suffering from osteomalacia, and whose urinary RBP were detected, urinary creatinine concentrations were lower, urinary excretions of proline were increased, levels of serum Ca were lower and levels of serum alkaline phosphatase were higher, as compared with those from the inhabitants whose urinary RBP were detected.
These findings suggest that there are some kinds of physiological abnormality chiefly based on renal tubular damage in the inhabitants living in Cd-polluted district who have low-molecular-weight protine in their urine.
