Niveles sanguíneos de plomo en neonatos hijos de madres consumidoras de "basuco": estudio comparativo

Abstract

Obtention of cocaine clorhydrate from coca leaves requires the use of gasoline; therefore residues such as lead may remain in the base paste (basuca); the latter is smoked, under the name basuco, mixed with tobacco or marijuana; It is conceivable that the smoker takes up lead residues that Increase lead blood levels; we wanted to determine whether the use of basuco during pregnancy could produce such effect In the newborninfant. Serum lead concentrations were measured In 19 newborn children and In 18 of their mothers. The latter were basuco consumers. They were compared to those of 20 non consuming delivering women along with 19 of their newborn Infants. Measurements were performed on a Perkin-Palmer model 2380 atomic absorptionspectrophotometer. Women were divided in four groups according to the degree of consumption, as follows: mild, moderate, Intense or non existent. Mean levels and SDs in the children were respectively: 13.5 ± 9.4; 15.8 ± 6.5; 16.6 ± 7.8; 6.9 ± 5.0 ug/dl; and In their mothers: 13.3 ± 4.6; 13.5 ± 6.9; 16.2 ± 4.9; 8.4 ± 4.6 ug/dl Statistic analysis revealed highly significant differences between mothers and children exposed to basuco and those that were not exposed. No difference was observed ac. cording to the degree of consumption. In conclusion: newborn from basuco consuming mothers have Increased lead blood levels; the long term effects of such alteration should be the subject of further studies.