Abstract
Occupational exposure typical of an oil refinery may alter liver function among the workers. Thus, the objective of the study was to identify risk factors for liver enzyme abnormalities among oil refinery workers. The workers at an oil refinery in Northeastern Brazil underwent routine annual medical examination from 1982 to 1998. This case-control study investigated all the 150 cases of individuals with simultaneous gamma-glutamyltransferase and alanine aminotransferase abnormalities of at least 10% above reference levels. As controls, 150 workers without any liver enzyme or bilirubin abnormalities since starting to work there were selected. Odds ratios and the respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated from logistic regression models. In all the production sectors, the risk of liver enzyme abnormalities was significantly higher than in the administrative sector (OR=5.7; 95% CI: 1.7-18.4), even when the effects of alcohol, obesity and medical history of hepatitis were controlled for. During the period from 1992 to 1994, 88 out of the 89 cases occurred among workers from the various production sectors. Occupational exposure plays an important role in causing liver enzyme abnormalities among oil refinery workers. This is in addition to the specifically biological and/or behavioral risk factors such as obesity and alcohol consumption.
Highlights
Exposure to chemical substances such as anesthetic agents, tranquilizers, tuberculostatic agents, chemotherapy agents and steroids may lead to acute or chronic liver lesions
The cases differed significantly from the controls in that their body mass index (BMI) was higher, with a greater proportion of obese individuals, they consumed more alcoholic drinks and they more frequently mentioned a history of hepatitis (Table 1)
The overall chance that the cases with liver enzyme abnormalities would work in production was 7.3 times higher than for the controls, which was a statistically significant result (OR=7.3; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.4-29.4)
Summary
Exposure to chemical substances such as anesthetic agents, tranquilizers, tuberculostatic agents, chemotherapy agents and steroids may lead to acute or chronic liver lesions. The scientific literature on the occurrence of liver diseases among oil refinery workers is relatively scarce and controversial.[1] There is a need for epidemiological investigations in oil refineries, since it is evident that they present exposure to large numbers of chemical agents. The effects of such agents on human health, especially on the liver, need to be adequately brought into the picture
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
