title: Impact of occupational health hazards on serum markers of bone formation in spray painters of Chennai region in Tamil Nadu.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between spray paint exposure and bone remodeling received little attention despite the high usage of spray paints in automobile industries, steel furniture workshops etc.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed at investigating the level of serum markers of bone formation in spray painters. The spray painting subjects were selected from automobile body repair workshops in Chennai region of TamilNadu which constitutes 30% of India's automobile industry.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the study subjects, exposed to spray paint were working in a workshop without standard spraying room and did not wore any aerosol removing respirator. The controls were selected from random population irrespective of occupation. Data relevant to the socioeconomic features and personal history was collected using a questionnaire. The current study included 50 spray painters and 25 control subjects of same age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the level of serum calcium, serum phosphorus, serum differentiation markers of bone such as alkaline phosphatase (bone specific) and serum osteocalcin in which these levels were found to be high in serum of spray painters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study concludes dysregulation in bone remodeling of spray painters exposed to chronic solvents and paint pigments.
authors.affiliation: Frontier Mediville (Special Economic Zone), A Unit of Cherian Heart Foundation, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Vijaya Prakash Krishnan
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Muthaiah
authors.forename: Abel Arul
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nathan
authors.forename: Anandan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Jayaraman
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gopalsamy
keywords: Bone remodeling; paint pigments; serum markers