Rights statement: This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Annals of Work Exposures and Health following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Thomas J Keegan, Lucy M Carpenter, Claire Brooks, Toby Langdon, Katherine M Venables; Sarin Exposures in A Cohort of British Military Participants in Human Experimental Research at Porton Down 1945–1987, Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Volume 62, Issue 1, 1 January 2018, Pages 17–27, https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxx084 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/62/1/17/4609381
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Sarin Exposures in A Cohort of British Military Participants in Human Experimental Research at Porton Down 1945-1987
AU - Keegan, Thomas J.
AU - Carpenter, Lucy M.
AU - Brooks, Claire
AU - Langdon, Toby
AU - Venables, Katherine M.
N1 - This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Annals of Work Exposures and Health following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Thomas J Keegan, Lucy M Carpenter, Claire Brooks, Toby Langdon, Katherine M Venables; Sarin Exposures in A Cohort of British Military Participants in Human Experimental Research at Porton Down 1945–1987, Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Volume 62, Issue 1, 1 January 2018, Pages 17–27, https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxx084 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/62/1/17/4609381
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - BackgroundThe effects of exposure to chemical warfare agents in humans are topical. Porton Down is the UK’s centre for research on chemical warfare where, since WWI, a programme of experiments involving ~30000 participants drawn from the UK armed services has been undertaken.ObjectivesOur aim is to report on exposures to nerve agents, particularly sarin, using detailed exposure data not explored in a previous analysis.MethodsIn this paper, we have used existing data on exposures to servicemen who attended the human volunteer programme at Porton Down to examine exposures to nerve agents in general and to sarin in particular.ResultsSix principal nerve agents were tested on humans between 1945 and 1987. Of all 4299 nerve agent tests recorded, 3511 (82%) were with sarin, most commonly in an exposure chamber, with inhalation being the commonest exposure route (85%). Biological response to sarin exposure was expressed as percentage change in cholinesterase activity and, less commonly, change in pupil size. For red blood cell cholinesterase, median inhibition for inhalation tests was 41% (interquartile range 28–51%), with a maximum of 87%. For dermal exposures the maximum inhibition recorded was 99%. There was a clear association between increasing exposure to sarin and depression of cholinesterase activity but the strength and direction of the association varied by exposure route and the presence of chemical or physical protection. Pupil size decreased with increased exposure but this relationship was less clear when modifiers, such as atropine drops, were present.ConclusionsThese results, drawn from high quality experimental data, offer a unique insight into the effects of these chemical agents on humans.
AB - BackgroundThe effects of exposure to chemical warfare agents in humans are topical. Porton Down is the UK’s centre for research on chemical warfare where, since WWI, a programme of experiments involving ~30000 participants drawn from the UK armed services has been undertaken.ObjectivesOur aim is to report on exposures to nerve agents, particularly sarin, using detailed exposure data not explored in a previous analysis.MethodsIn this paper, we have used existing data on exposures to servicemen who attended the human volunteer programme at Porton Down to examine exposures to nerve agents in general and to sarin in particular.ResultsSix principal nerve agents were tested on humans between 1945 and 1987. Of all 4299 nerve agent tests recorded, 3511 (82%) were with sarin, most commonly in an exposure chamber, with inhalation being the commonest exposure route (85%). Biological response to sarin exposure was expressed as percentage change in cholinesterase activity and, less commonly, change in pupil size. For red blood cell cholinesterase, median inhibition for inhalation tests was 41% (interquartile range 28–51%), with a maximum of 87%. For dermal exposures the maximum inhibition recorded was 99%. There was a clear association between increasing exposure to sarin and depression of cholinesterase activity but the strength and direction of the association varied by exposure route and the presence of chemical or physical protection. Pupil size decreased with increased exposure but this relationship was less clear when modifiers, such as atropine drops, were present.ConclusionsThese results, drawn from high quality experimental data, offer a unique insight into the effects of these chemical agents on humans.
KW - chemical weapons
KW - epidemiology
KW - exposure
KW - exposure-response
KW - nerve agents
KW - sarin
U2 - 10.1093/annweh/wxx084
DO - 10.1093/annweh/wxx084
M3 - Journal article
VL - 62
SP - 17
EP - 27
JO - Annals of Work Exposures and Health
JF - Annals of Work Exposures and Health
SN - 2398-7308
IS - 1
ER -