Abstract
Exposure to petroleum products has been shown to have significant adverse effects on the liver which can manifest either as morphological or physiological changes. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of chronic exposure to some petroleum products on the liver of exposed workers using sonography and to determine whether biochemical assessments underestimated hepatotoxicity. Abdominal ultrasound was performed on 415 exposed workers in order to evaluate liver echogenicity and size. Also, biochemical assessment of the liver was done to evaluate its function. Statistically significant increase in the liver parenchymal echogenicity and the liver size was seen in the exposed workers compared with control (p ≤ 0.05). These increased as the exposure duration increased. It was also noted that out of 16.87% (N=70) exposed workers with abnormal liver echopattern, only 2.65% (N=11) had alanine aminotransferase above the reference range. The study revealed evidence of ultrasound detectable hepatotoxicity among the exposed subjects. Sonography appeared to detect petroleum products-induced hepatic toxicity more than biochemical assays suggesting that biochemical assessment may have underestimated toxicity.
Highlights
Petrol, diesel and kerosene are frequently used petroleum products for the internal combustion of car engines and for operating machines
Petroleum products are known hepatotoxicants, causing increase in hepatic aminotransferases[3]. This type of petroleum product induced-hepatotoxicity detectable by biochemical assessment is well described, but the sonographic findings in the liver in chronic exposure are not well studied in the black African population. Chronic exposure to these products led to increase in hepatic echogenicity documented in this study
The observed increase in echogenicity of the liver may be attributed to exposure to petroleum products
Summary
Petrol (gasoline), diesel and kerosene are frequently used petroleum products for the internal combustion of car engines and for operating machines. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the effects of chronic exposure to some petroleum products on the liver of exposed workers using sonography and to determine whether biochemical assessments underestimated hepatotoxicity. Biochemical assessment of the liver was done to evaluate its function Results: Statistically significant increase in the liver parenchymal echogenicity and the liver size was seen in the exposed workers compared with control (p ≤ 0.05). These increased as the exposure duration increased.
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