title: Occupational exposure to urban pollutants and plasma growth hormone (GH).
abstract: The aim of present study was to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors are at risk of alterations on plasma growth hormone (GH) levels compared with a control group. Out of a population of 395 Municipal Police employees, the subjects with principal confounding factors were excluded from the study. The remaining traffic policemen were matched with those not exposed by sex, age, working life, and habitual consumption of alcohol; 71 traffic policemen (40 men and 31 women) with outdoor activity exposed to urban pollutants and 71 not exposed subjects (40 men and 31 women) with indoor activity were included in the study. The plasma levels of GH were significantly lower in the exposed traffic policemen compared with those not exposed (P = 0.000); similarly in male (P = 0.011) and female subjects (P = 0.000). The authors hypothesize the possibility of an effect of the specific working activity in traffic policemen on the plasma GH concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. francesco.tomei@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomei
authors.forename: Maria Valeria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rosati
authors.forename: Tiziana Paola
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Baccolo
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anzelmo
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciarrocca
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016495:Police; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014505:Urban Population; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D013006:Growth Hormone