Table 3.
Adjusted PORs∗ and their 95% C.I.s between mercury content and neurological signs.
| 0–20 μg/g | 20–50μg/g | 50–100μg/g | >100 μg/g | P value for trend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (n = 24) | (n = 24) | (n = 21) | (n = 34) | ||
| Dis.dom.bil. S.D. n (%) | 23 (95.8) | 23 (95.8) | 20 (95.2) | 32 (94.1) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 1.0 (0.1, 18.1) | 0.6 (0, 11.7) | 0.7 (0, 10.4) | 0.74 |
| Perioral S.D. n (%) | 10 (41.7) | 12 (50) | 16 (76.2) | 21 (61.8) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 1.4 (0.5, 4.5) | 4.3 (1.2, 16) | 2.7 (0.9, 8.3) | 0.04 |
| Whole body S.D. n (%) | 0 (0) | 2 (8.3) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | NE | NE | NE | 0.98 |
| Ataxia n (%) | 17 (70.8) | 17 (70.8) | 18 (85.7) | 27 (79.4) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 1.0 (0.3, 3.8) | 2.2 (0.5, 10.5) | 2.3 (0.6, 8.9) | 0.14 |
| Visual constriction n (%) | 11 (45.8) | 11 (45.8) | 7 (41.2) | 13 (43.3) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 1.0 (0.3, 3.5) | 0.5 (0.1, 2) | 1.1 (0.3, 3.6) | 0.89 |
| Hearing impairment n (%) | 16 (72.7) | 19 (86.4) | 15 (78.9) | 20 (64.5) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 2.6 (0.5, 13.2) | 1.1 (0.2, 5.1) | 0.6 (0.1, 2.2) | 0.25 |
| Speech disturbance n (%) | 3 (13) | 4 (16.7) | 4 (23.5) | 8 (25) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 1.2 (0.2, 6.9) | 1.4 (0.2, 8.4) | 1.8 (0.4, 8.8) | 0.45 |
| Disequilibrium n (%) | 20 (83.3) | 21 (87.5) | 16 (80) | 31 (91.2) | |
| PORs and 95% CIs | 1 | 1.4 (0.3, 7.1) | 0.7 (0.1, 3.4) | 1.9 (0.3, 10) | 0.66 |
∗Prevalence odds ratios were estimated using 0–20 ppm as a reference and were adjusted for age and sex.
Abbreviations: C.I.: confidence interval; Dis.dom.bil.: distal dominant bilateral; NE: not estimatable; POR: prevalence odds ratio.