Metabolic Health Profile of Employees in a Printing Press in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

<strong>Background:</strong> Printing press workers deal with printing inks that contain potentially hazardous chemicals and solvents. Present study was designed to determine the biochemical health profile of printing press workers. <strong>Methods:</strong> Cross sectional study was conducted in 50 printing press (male) workers and 20 non-printing press age matched (male) workers, who were not exposed to printing press environment but lived all around the printing press area. Non-fasting blood samples were collected, from both Workers and Non-Workers, for determining full blood counts, lipid profile, Uric acid and Creatinine. <strong>Results:</strong> Mean levels of cholesterol was 213 mg/dl (SD = ±13.0) vs 146 (SD = ±5.50), P = 0.04], triglycerides were 303 mg/dl (SD = ±16.9) vs 196 mg/dl (SD = ±7.13), P = 0.03 and LDL was 103 mmol/l (±3.32) vs 42.9 mmol/l (±2.57), P = 0.01 which were significantly higher in printing press workers than in Nonworkers. Additionally, mean total leukocyte count and total lymphocytes, were significantly higher 8590 (SD = ±830) vs. 7100 (SD = ±542) per cmm, P = 0.04 and 44.8 (SD = ±2.17) % vs. 33.1 (SD = ±1.85)% respectively, P = 0.02) while mean neutrophil count was significantly lower 46.3% (SD ± 1.97) vs. 59.7 % (SD ± 1.88) respectively, P = 0.03 in printing press workers than in Nonworkers. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Exposure to various chemicals in inks may put printing press workers at risk of poor biochemical profile which is an important risk factor for developing non-communicable diseases.