title: The potential hazardous effect of exposure to iron dust in Egyptian smoking and nonsmoking welders.
abstract: Exposure to iron dust and welding fumes is widespread and may increase the risk of lung inflammation. The aim of this study was to identify associations between exposure to iron/welding fumes and the levels of inflammatory parameters and allergic mediators among 120 Egyptian men. Forty nonsmoking and 40 smoking Egyptian welders as well as 40 healthy volunteers who were never exposed to welding fumes and were nonsmoking were enrolled in the study. Peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) assessed at the end of the shift of work on working days revealed an impairment in lung function, with the smoking workers showing the worse results, followed by nonsmoking workers, as compared to healthy volunteers. Moreover, the results of the present study showed a significant increase in serum iron and immunoglobulin E, as well as plasma thiobarbaturic acid reactive substances, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, haptoglobin, interleukin-2, interleukin-6 and interleukin-23 histamine, lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-3, and calcitonin. In addition, the results revealed significant decrease in plasma α-1-antitrypsin and serum transferrin, as well as blood activities of antioxidant enzymes: catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase (as compared with control group). However, there was a nonsignificant change in arginase and α-L-fucosidase in smoking and nonsmoking welders exposed to iron dust and welding fumes. In conclusion, occupational exposure to iron dust and welding fumes increases lung inflammation risk among Egyptian blacksmith workers, a condition that worsens with smoking.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy , Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST) , 6th of October City , Egypt.
authors.forename: Naglaa Abd El Khalik
authors.initials: NAEK
authors.lastname: Gobba
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Benha University , Qalioubeya , Egypt.
authors.forename: Abdelmaksoud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussein Ali
authors.affiliation: c Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine , Tanta University , Cairo , Egypt.
authors.forename: Dalia E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: El Sharawy
authors.affiliation: d Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences , October 6 University , 6th of October City , Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohammed Abdalla
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hussein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004391:Dust; D004534:Egypt; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking; D014896:Welding
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D004391:Dust; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007501:Iron
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; blacksmiths; inflammatory mediators; iron dust; smoking; welders; welding fumes