Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (4)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Donoghue, A. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Donoghue, A. M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Occupational Medicine 53:139-142 (2003)
Copyright © 2003 Society of Occupational Medicine

Type A lactic acidosis in occupational heat exhaustion

A. M. Donoghue

The School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia.

Correspondence to present address: A. M. Donoghue, Occupational Physician, Alcoa Worldwide Alumina Australia, PO Box 252, Applecross, Perth, WA 6953, Australia. e-mail: amdonoghue{at}bigpond.com

Abstract

Background This paper presents a further analysis of biochemical data collected during a 1 year prospective study of 106 cases of heat exhaustion at a deep underground metalliferous mine.

Results Multiple regression analysis results indicate that the haemoglobin, serum creatinine and plasma lactate concentrations are statistically significant predictors of the anion gap. Together, they explain 65% of the variance in the anion gap (R2 = 0.650). Spearman's rho correlation results also confirm that haemoglobin, creatinine and lactate are each statistically significantly correlated with the anion gap (P < 0.001).

Conclusions These results indicate that dehydration and lactate are important determinants of the metabolic acidosis previously observed in occupational heat exhaustion. It is likely that dehydration in these workers has resulted in poor muscle perfusion, anaerobic conditions and elevated lactate. This constitutes Type A lactic acidosis. Creatine kinase is not a statistically significant predictor of the anion gap in multiple regression (P = 0.956). Furthermore, the Spearman's rho correlation coefficient for creatine kinase versus the anion gap is weak (rs = 0.175) and is not statistically significant (P = 0.073). These results suggest that there was no rhabdomyolysis contributing to the metabolic acidosis.

Keywords      Creatine kinase; dehydration; heat exhaustion; hypohydration; lactate; lactic acidosis; metabolic acidosis; metalliferous; mining; rhabdomyolysis; underground


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ANN OCCUP HYGHome page
V. S. MILLER and G. P. BATES
The Thermal Work Limit Is a Simple Reliable Heat Index for the Protection of Workers in Thermally Stressful Environments
Ann. Hyg., August 1, 2007; 51(6): 553 - 561.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.