Toxic responses of blood

A case-control study of Guiguet et al. observed an increased risk for aplastic anaemia after exposure to paints (effective compounds in the paints are unknown), but no increased risk after exposure to solvents alone. Reduction of blood hemoglobin levels was shown after exposure to gasoline, car spray paint (xylene) and various solvents (house painters).An increased Hb level was noted, however, in a study of car and industrial spray painters. 

Alterations of several blood components (production of auto-antibodies) and of vascular endothelial cells were described for workers exposed to hydrocarbon-based paints or to mixed solvents.  

Even a group experiencing low exposure (house painters exposed to alkyd paints) showed hematological changes. Higher platelet counts and higher resistivity calculated from the the impedance of the whole blood were observed.  

Some studies showed decreases of thrombocyte counts in car painters and paint industry workers, other studies, however, recorded no changes.Studies concerning effects of paints on the white cell and thrombocyte counts were inconsistent. A decrease of white cells was described in several studies and a lymphocytosis was noted by Angerer and Wulf Elofsson et al., however, recorded no changes in white cell counts. Additionally, myelotoxic effects of solvents were shown, especially for benzene. 

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