Exposure to urban pollutants and plasma vasopressin in traffic policemen.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study is to investigate whether traffic policemen of a big city exposed to urban pollutants may be at risk of alterations on plasma vasopressin (VP) concentrations compared with a control group.


METHODS
Out of a population of 395 Municipal Police employees, the subjects with the principal confounding factors were excluded from the study. Traffic policemen and control subjects were matched by sex, age and working life. Plasma VP levels were determined in 82 subjects: 41 traffic policemen (18 men, 23 women) and 41 control subjects (18 men, 23 women).


RESULTS
Mean of VP values were found significantly lower in traffic policemen than in the control group both in men (P=0.010) and in women (P=0.015). We found high correlation between VP values and working life in traffic policemen of male and female sex (r=0.7; r=0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
The authors hypothesise an effect on plasma VP levels in traffic policemen exposed to chemical and physical stressors, according to plasma VP levels modifications found by other authors in studies on animals and human subjects.
Tomei
Francesco
F
University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Occupational Medicine, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Ciarrocca
Manuela
M
Rosati
Maria Valeria
MV
Baccolo
Tiziana Paola
TP
Grimaldi
Franca
F
Tomao
Enrico
E
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012016:Reference Values; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000097:blood*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014667:Vasopressins