title: [Blood disorders among workers exposed to a mixture of benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX) in a paint factory].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the three blood cell series and identify the presence of hypochromia, macrocytosis, leucopenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia in a group of workers exposed to the mixture of benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study which included 97 workers from a paint factory in Mexico. The participants underwent conventional blood count and tests for potential cumulative daily dose of BTX fumes, to estimate exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the total of workers, 19.6% showed macrocytosis, 18.6%, lymphopenia, hypochromia 10.3%, 7.2% and 5.2% thrombocytopenia leukopenia. The crude association of macrocytosis with exposure to high doses of BTX mixture was the only with statistical significance (OR: 3.6, 95% CI 1.08 to 13.9, P = 0.02), and the base for a logistic regression model (OR: 6.7, 95% CI 1.33 to 13.55, P = 0.02) adjusted for age, alcohol consumption, and smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All blood cytological components analyzed demonstrated mild changes, potentially associated with exposure to the mixture of BTX. Macrocytosis could constitute an early manifestation worthy for surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México DF, México. luisharo2@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haro-García
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vélez-Zamora
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Madrid
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Rivera
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Escalante
authors.forename: Sergio R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mezones-Holguín
authors.forename: Cuauhtémoc
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juárez-Pérez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D002617:Chemical Industry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010150:Paint; D014050:Toluene / Q000633:toxicity*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene