Environmental risk factors for acute kidney injury in agricultural workers in Spain

Abstract

TPS 792: Occupational health 2, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 27, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM A high burden of kidney diseases, including acute kidney injury (AKI), has been reported among agricultural workers in tropical areas. Dehydration caused by strenuous work at high temperatures has been suggested as a risk factor for AKI. In the Mediterranean region, agricultural workers are exposed during the summer months to temperatures similar to those observed in tropical latitudes. The aim of the study is to evaluate if agricultural work during the summer months in Spain is a risk factor for AKI. Seventy-four agricultural workers were enrolled in two provinces of Spain: 57 were enrolled in Alicante during the grape harvest season (summer months) and 17 were enrolled in Tarragona during the citrus harvest (winter months). From each participant we obtained the following information before and after the work-shift: i) blood and urine samples to analyse creatinine serum levels and creatinine, albumin and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) urine levels; ii) anthropometric measurements; and iii) information about life-style and working conditions. Temperature and humidity were measured at the workplace to estimate the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) Age and sex distribution were similar between regions (% of men: 84% in Alicante, 94% in Tarragona, p-value= 0.294; mean (SD) age: 41 (1.7) in Alicante, 43 (2.1) in Tarragona, p-value=0.386). There were no differences in mean NGAL levels between provinces before the work-shift [Alicante=2.7 (0.4), Tarragona=3.5 (0.8), t-test p-value=0.347] or after it [Alicante=7.7 (0.9), Tarragona=5.9 (1.3), t-test p-value=0.321). NGAL levels were higher after work-shift in workers from Alicante (Wilcoxon matched-pairs p –value<0.001) but no differences were observed in workers from Tarragona (Wilcoxon matched-pairs p –value=0.166). Results are in concordance with the hypotheses under study. These results have to be verified with measurements of serum and urine creatinine levels, urine albumin levels, and estimates of WBGT. These data will be available before the ISEE conference.