Urinary hydroxypyrene and estradiol in an occupationally exposed "outdoor" population.

BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely present in the air pollution. The urinary hydroxypyrene (1-HOPu) is considered the main biological biomarker currently available to measure the exposure to PAH. It is supposed responsible of an increase of estradiol levels in males. Aim of this study is to verify whether there is a relation between 1-HOPu and plasmatic estradiol in non-smoker male workers. METHODS: The study was conducted on a sample of 122 non-smoker policemen in a large Italian city; we monitored their levels of 1-HOPu and the values of estradiol. The sample was divided into three groups according to the levels of urinary hydroxypyrene. The indices of correlation (r) and multiple linear regression (ß), between levels of 1-HOPu and estradiol were calculated. It was also calculated the student's t-test among the groups to check the differences. RESULTS: We found statistically significant correlations and multivariate linear regressions between 1-HOPu and estradiol in the total sample and in group III (levels of 1-HOPu above the 75th percentile). The average levels of estradiol in group III was statistically and significantly higher than in the group I (levels of 1-HOPu below the 25th percentile) and group II (levels 1-HOPu between 25th and the 75th percentile). CONCLUSIONS: 1-HOPu in non-smoker male workers is related with an increase of plasmatic estradiol. We believe that PAHs, of which 1-HOPu is the main biomarker, can interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The preliminary results suggest that the topic needs further research on male and female as well.

Liver damage in automotive and industrial workers of the glass.

OBJECTIVE: High doses of organic solvents can cause hepatic disease. We investigated whether exposure to low doses of solvents in automotive and industrial workers may lead to changes in liver tests. METHODS: We studied the liver parameters (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), gamma-glutamyl-traspeptidasi (γ-GT), alkaline phosphatase (PHA), total (TB) and direct bilirubin (DB) of 24 workers exposed to organic solvents and of 30 unexposed controls. RESULTS: A significant increase of GOT, GPT and γ-GT was found in exposed workers compared to unexposed controls workers. The ratio GPT/GOT was significantly higher among the exposed compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed the hypothesis that exposure to low doses of solvents may determine a liver damage.

Workers exposed to urban stressors and the effects on antidiuretic hormone secretion.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether urban pollutants can affect plasma levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in outdoor workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 208 subjects, 104 exposed to urban stressors and 104 non exposed to urban stressors. We divided these workers in 3 groups: Group 1 (non-smokers and non-drinkers), Group 2 (smokers and not drinkers) and Group 3 (drinkers and not smokers). The means and standard deviations of ADH were calculated, and a Student's t-test was used to compare means. The data were considered significant at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The outdoor workers in Group 1 had significantly reduced plasma levels of ADH. In contrast, the outdoor workers in Groups 2 and 3 had increased plasma levels of ADH. These results were consistent in both men and women. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that urban pollutants may influence the secretion of ADH.

Exposure to solvents in health care workers: assessment of the hepatic effects.

OBJECTIVES: The use of organic solvents has been linked to pathologies of different apparatuses. The purpose of this study is to analyze the liver damage induced by organic solvents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 556 workers, 278 exposed to organic solvents (group 1) and 278 not exposed to organic solvents (group 2). The exposed group was further divided into 2 subgroups: group 1A (139 workers exposed to considerable doses) and group 1B (139 workers exposed to negligible doses). Mean and standard deviation of some liver parameters was calculated. Statistically significant differences between the liver parameters in the different groups and subgroups were detected using the t-test. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between laboratory parameters and the independent variable. RESULTS: The data so far obtained showed the existence of statistically significant differences with regard to the total protein, total bilirubin, transaminase GOT and GPT, Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (gamma-GT). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that exposure to solvents can alter some liver parameters. The blood tests we used can be useful tool for the assessment of the actual occupational hazards and to verify the effectiveness of the measures taken for the prevention and protection.

Environmental and biological monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels in outdoor workers exposed to urban stressor.

BACKGROUND: Purpose of this study is to evaluate and to compare the excretion of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPu) in traffic policemen (TP) and drivers (D) of a large Italian city and to evaluate the existence and the degree of correlation between airborne exposure to 15 different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 1-OHPu levels in the examined population. METHODS: 192 male workers, 115 TP and 77 D, were monitored for 1-HOPu. A subgroup of non-smoking workers (subgroup B: 59 TP and 15 D) was also examined and 15 environmental PAHs was monitored through the personal samplings for the measurement of the particulate phase. RESULTS: The 1-OHPu levels and the values of personal airborne exposure to PAHs were significantly higher among non-smoking TP than among non-smoking D (p < 0.05). In subgroup B the levels of environmental exposure to all the 15 PAHs measured in TP and only 6 of 15 PAHs measured in D were significantly correlated with the values of 1-OHPu (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the use of 1-OHPu as an indicator of exposure to PAHs is reliable also for what concerns the study of the low-dose work-related exposure in urban outdoor workers.

Arsenic and peripheral blood count in workers exposed to urban stressors.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that arsenic at high doses can alter the hematopoietic system. The purpose of the present study is to see whether the same problems may be caused by chronic exposure to low doses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 349 policemen of a big urban city was divided into 3 groups according to levels of urinary arsenic. The subjects were further divided according to gender, smoking habits, and work task. We calculated indices of correlation (r) and multiple linear regression (ß), between urinary arsenic, RBC, WBC, HB, HT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, platelets, reticulocytes and leukocyte formula (percentage of lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils). It was also calculated Student's t and chi-square test between the various groups to check for any differences. RESULTS: We found several statistically significant indices of correlation and regression (p(two-tailed) <0.05) between urinary arsenic, red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, reticulocytes, and all the cell lines of the white series. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic exposure to low doses of arsenic seems to cause decrease in red blood cells, hematocrit and hemoglobin. However, this response is dependent on the amount of absorbed dose, according to an ormetic mechanism. With regard to the white series, arsenic seems to provoke an inflammatory response; the scarcity of literature" available, and the great variety of results, however, not allow us to definitely characterize the damage caused by this metal on white series.

Using focus group methods to develop multicultural cancer pain education materials.

Methods to treat cancer pain effectively have existed for more than 2 decades. However, the effective treatment of cancer pain continues to elude many patients with cancer who suffer from poor management. Although efforts to address the problem of cancer pain in the United States have acknowledged the importance of patient education and advocacy, few endeavors, to date, have attended to the special needs of inner-city, low-literacy, or socioeconomically disadvantaged patients from minority cultural groups. From 1992 to 1995, the Boston Cancer Pain Education Program, funded by the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, worked collaboratively with community representatives using focus group methods to develop a culturally sensitive, linguistically appropriate cancer pain education booklet in 11 languages and for 11 ethnic groups. The booklet serves as a guide for patients and families and is to be used as a teaching tool by clinicians. The focus group approach was used to develop materials that would empower patients and families to more effectively participate in pain management when working with health care providers from cultures other than their own. Qualitative data analysis methods were used to analyze transcripts of taped focus group sessions. Themes emerged from the data regarding pain and its culturally competent management as well as the group process of booklet development.