title: Biomarkers of endothelial activation and thrombosis in tunnel construction workers exposed to airborne contaminants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims were to study biomarkers of systemic inflammation, platelet/endothelial activation and thrombosis in tunnel construction workers (TCW).
  
  
  METHODS
  Biomarkers and blood fatty acids were measured in blood of 90 TCW and 50 referents before (baseline) and towards the end (follow-up) of a 12 days work period. They had been absent from work for 9 days at baseline. Air samples were collected by personal sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Personal thoracic air samples showed geometric mean (GM) particulate matter and α-quartz concentrations of 604 and 74 µg/m3, respectively. The arithmetic mean (AM) concentration of elemental carbon was 51 µg/m3. The GM (and 95% confidence interval) concentration of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α decreased from 2.2 (2.0-2.4) at baseline to 2.0 pg/mL (1.8-2.2) (p = 0.02) at follow-up among the TCW. Also the platelet activation biomarkers P-selectin and CD40L decreased significantly [25.4 (24.1-26.6) to 24.4 (22.9-26.0)] ng/mL, p = 0.04 and 125 (114-137) to 105 (96-115) pg/mL, p < 0.001, respectively. ICAM-1 concentrations increased from 249 (238-260) to 254 (243-266) ng/mL (p = 0.02). No significant alterations were observed among the referents when assessed by paired sample t test. Unbeneficial alterations in blood fatty acid composition were observed between baseline and follow-up, mainly among referents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCW had slightly reduced systemic inflammation and platelet activation although highly exposed to particulate matter, α-quarz and diesel exhaust, which might be due to increased physical activity during the exposure period. The slightly increased ICAM-1 may indicate monocyte recruitment to the lungs. The diet was substantially altered towards a less beneficial fatty acid profile.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway. dag.ellingsen@stami.no.
authors.forename: Dag G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ellingsen
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Heart Research, Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingebjørg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Seljeflot
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Yngvar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Magny
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakke
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 8149 Dep, 0033, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Occupational Medicine, Mesta AS, Lysaker, Norway.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ulvestad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D060389:Construction Industry; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D015539:Platelet Activation; D011791:Quartz / Q000032:analysis; D013927:Thrombosis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005227:Fatty Acids; D019007:P-Selectin; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D011791:Quartz; D002244:Carbon
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Fatty acids; P-selectin; TNF-α