56 of the survivors participated in standardised health checks which were also offered to non-chemical workers by the same team. The data collected were compared with those of 100 workers with no dioxin exposure. Neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms were found more frequently among those exposed to dioxin and the level of liver enzymes in their blood was higher. The effects of dioxin exposure and alcohol on liver functions were found to be independent of each other. The study also shows a higher dioxin concentration in the blood of workers with a history of liver disease.
Multivariate analyses indicate chronic liver damage after high dioxin exposure at a young age.
This abnormality correlated with higher dioxin concentrations and higher levels of liver enzymes in the blood. Finally, in two subjects who had lost a considerable amount of weight between 1990 and 1996, the concentration of dioxin in the blood actually increased due to its release from fat deposits. For this reason, the authors discourage rapid weight loss, even in the third decade after poisoning, and recommend continuation of preventive check-ups.