Establishing the cholinesterase levels in Jordan: An investigation and monitoring model for pesticides outbreak

Background aims: to establish and validate the method used to analyze cholinesterase in blood and to establish a baseline level among jordanians living in a heavy agricultural activity area and as well as among those living in an urban non-agricultural area. materials and methods: modified ellman procedure was used to analyze 851 and 1033 blood samples from heavy agricultural activity and urban area for cholinesterase activity in erythrocytes and plasma. results: sample collected from heavy agricultural activity showed low cholinesterase level average 1037u/l ± 279 and 23 u/ghb ± 7.9 compared with urban area average 1616 u/l ± 662 and 31 u/ghb ± 13 for plasma and erythrocyte respectively. the levels in workers living in heavy agriculture activity showed 52% inhibition in plasma and 41.1% in erythrocyte when compared to the established normal levels that were observed in urban area. conclusions: clinicians using cholinesterase for clinical diagnosis and management should be aware that baseline levels are different according to the residence of their patients. © 2015 dar publishers. the university of jordan. all rights reserved.