[Liver enzyme abnormalities among oil refinery workers].
OBJECTIVE
Occupational exposure typical of an oil refinery may alter liver function among the workers. Thus, the objective of the study was to identify risk factors for liver enzyme abnormalities among oil refinery workers.


METHODS
The workers at an oil refinery in Northeastern Brazil underwent routine annual medical examination from 1982 to 1998. This case-control study investigated all the 150 cases of individuals with simultaneous gamma-glutamyltransferase and alanine aminotransferase abnormalities of at least 10% above reference levels. As controls, 150 workers without any liver enzyme or bilirubin abnormalities since starting to work there were selected. Odds ratios and the respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated from logistic regression models.


RESULTS
In all the production sectors, the risk of liver enzyme abnormalities was significantly higher than in the administrative sector (OR=5.7; 95% CI: 1.7-18.4), even when the effects of alcohol, obesity and medical history of hepatitis were controlled for. During the period from 1992 to 1994, 88 out of the 89 cases occurred among workers from the various production sectors.


CONCLUSIONS
Occupational exposure plays an important role in causing liver enzyme abnormalities among oil refinery workers. This is in addition to the specifically biological and/or behavioral risk factors such as obesity and alcohol consumption.
Carvalho
Fernando Martins
FM
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil. fmc@ufba.br
Silvany Neto
Annibal Muniz
AM
Mendes
João Luiz Barberino
JL
Cotrim
Helma Pinchemel
HP
Nascimento
Ana Lísia Cunha
AL
Lima Júnior
Alberto Soares
AS
Cunha
Tatiana Oliveira Bernardo da
TO
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010578:Petroleum; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014166:Transferases / Q000097:blood*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D010578:Petroleum; D014166:Transferases; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase