Study of the Liver Function in a Plastic Processing Industry Workers Exposed to Styrene in 1382 (2003)
O. Aminian MD1*, E. Rafeemanesh MD2, A. Sharifian MD3, M. Abbasi MD4
1- Assistant Professor of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Resident of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Assistant Professor of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Assistant Professor of Pathology, Reference Laboratories of Iran, Booali Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Background: Styrene is one of the aromatic solvents that releases in plastic processing in dustries. This study was conducted to determine whether low to moderate exposure to styrene affect the liver function in workers of an industrial plastic production.
Materials and Methods : A cross sectional study was performed comparing serum hepatic transaminases [alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)], cholestatic enzymes [alkalinephosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT)], and bilirubinin 58 workers of plastic pruduction industry who were exposedto styrene and 52 workers without exposure (control group) from the same factory. Exposure to styrene wasassessed in air by dosimetry and gas chromatography during the working hours. Mean concentration of styrene defined as 18 ppm in air.
Results: After statistical analysis, a significant difference was noted for mean ALT and total bilirubin between the case and control groups. Eventhough the means of the other laboratory data (AST, GGT, ALP, direct bilirubin), were higher in the case group compared to the control but the differences were not significant.
Conclusions: The consistent findings of increased total bilirubin and ALT concentrations in this study provide evidencefor the diminished hepatic clearance of bilirubin withassociated metabolicdysfunction in workers exposed to styrene, so periodic evaluation of liver function tests is recommended for plastic processing industries workers.
Key words: Styrene, Aminotransferases, Bilirubin, liver function
*Corresponding author:Tel:(021)6405588Fax:(021)6405588,E-mail: oaminian@Sina.Tums.ac.ir
Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, 2004, 3(3): 164-171
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