title: Association between dioxins/furans exposures and incinerator workers' hepatic function and blood lipids.
abstract: This study examined the effects of dioxins/furans on blood lipids and hepatic function and assessed potential interaction between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and dioxins on hepatic function for 133 male workers of municipal waste incinerators. We found that total cholesterol levels in workers with blood dioxins/furans levels of 15.4-59.0 pg TEQ/g lipid (high-exposure workers) averaged 13.5 mg/dL higher than workers with 5.5-15.3 pg TEQ/g lipid (low-exposure workers). The adjusted odds ratio for total cholesterol abnormality (>220 mg/dL) was 2.8 (95% confidence interval = 1.0-7.9) between high and low-exposure workers. High-exposure workers showed consistently, although not statistically significantly, higher abnormality in gamma-glutamyltransferase (>52 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (>41 U/L), and aspartate aminotransferase (>37 U/L) than did low-exposure workers. However, there was no statistically significant interaction between dioxins/furans and HBV on these hepatic enzymes among incinerator workers.
authors.affiliation: Institute os Stomatology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. ccchan@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Suh-Woan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Tsun-Jen
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: ChangChien
authors.forename: Chang-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004147:Dioxins / Q000097:blood*; D004496:Education, Continuing; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology; D005663:Furans / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D005663:Furans; D008055:Lipids