[Brick-tea type adult bone fluorosis].

To investigate health impact of brick-tea type fluorosis in adults, the total daily fluorine intake, environment fluorine level were determined, the average urinary fluorine content assay and bone X-ray examination were conducted, the clinical manifestations were observed in the brick-tea type bone fluorosis epidemiological study conducted in Naqu County, Tibet at September, 2001. One hundred and eleven adults aged at 30-78 year-old were enrolled. It was found that the fluorine level of drinking water in Naqu County was 0.10 +/- 0.03 mg/L, but the brick-tea water processed foods-zamba and buttered tea had fluorine content of 4.52 +/- 0.74 mg/kg and 3.21 +/- 0.65 mg/kg respectively. The adult daily fluorine intake reached 11.99 mg, among which 99% is originated from the brick-tea containing foods. Positive detection rate of fluorosis osteopathy was 89% and the X-ray film confirmed that the diagnosis rate was 83%. Degenerative arthropathy and ossification of the interosteal membrane, calcification of the tendon were the characteristics that indicated by both the positive signs and reogenological examination. The prevalence of osteosclerosis type (bone matrix increased) was 74%. It is suggested that there were even more severe health impact compared with those in the water type and coal combustion type fluorosis.