Background:

Chronic occupational exposure to cyanide has been associated with central nervous system toxicity characterized by alterations in olfactory capacity as well as dysfunction of the thyroid gland; has evidenced the above in individuals dedicated to trades related to metallurgy and jewelry for extraction and purification of metals such as gold and silver, as artisans jewelry manufacturers in Chordeleg, Ecuador.

Objective:

Evaluate the olfactory capacity and functioning of the thyroid gland in artisan jewelry manufacturers exposed to cyanide in Chordeleg, Ecuador.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty-nine individuals were studied and serum levels of thyroid hormones were measured. The olfactory capacity was evaluated by the Sniffin Stick Test, the statistical analysis was performed in the SPSS 15.0 program.

Results:

The olfactory capacity of participants in this study exposed to cyanide was decreased hyposmia 33.3% and anosmia 27.5%, mean values for T3, T4 and TSH according to the presence or not of alterations in the levels of thiocyanate in urine did not present significant differences between the groups, and there was no correlation between these variables.

Conclusions:

The effects of chronic occupational exposure to cyanide on the olfactory capacity and function of the thyroid gland of jewelry makers in Chordeleg, Ecuador, were not demonstrated.

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