Elevated red blood cell distribution width and inflammation in printing workers.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of exposure to chemical compounds on systemic biochemical inflammatory markers in printing industry workers.


METHODS
Fifty-eight printing workers from 19 different small- and medium-sized enterprises in the printing sector were investigated. For comparison, 80 healthy workers not subjected to workplace chemicals served as control subjects.


RESULTS
No significant differences were observed between the printing workers and control subjects with respect to age, BMI, waist circumference/hip circumference ratio, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Printing workers had significantly higher serum TNF-alpha levels (11.02 ± 5.34 vs. 9.26 ± 3.87 pg/ml, p=0.039), plasma fibrinogen levels (1.74 ± 0.49 vs. 1.38 ± 0.5 mg/dl, p=0.012), and red blood cell distribution width (RDW-SD) (49.77 ± 3.09 vs. 47.3 ± 2.88 p<0.01) compared to control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevation of RDW, serum TNF-alpha, and plasma fibrinogen levels in printing workers may be due to systemic toxic effects of chemical compounds used in this sector. TNF-alpha is an inflammatory cytokine that has a wide spectrum of biological activities, and fibrinogen plays an important role in pathological processes. Some compounds may be carcinogenic or mutagenic. Better designed workplaces and working conditions will help to reduce the hazardous effects of chemical compounds.
Medical Faculty, Medical Biochemistry, Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
Ahmet
A
Celik
Neriman
N
Aydin
Birgul
B
Ozcirpici
Edibe
E
Saricicek
Hatice
H
Sezen
Mehmet
M
Okumus
Selim
S
Bozkurt
Metin
M
Kilinc
D001772:Blood Cell Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011327:Printing; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014421:Turkey
D015386:Hazardous Substances; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005340:Fibrinogen