Assessment of liver and renal function tests among gasoline exposed gas station workers in Mekelle city, Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Volatile organic compounds such as gasoline and other fuels are associated with a wide variety of deleterious health effects including liver and kidney diseases. Gasoline station attendants are exposed to a mixture of hydrocarbons in fuel vapors during dispensing fuel and to the gases from vehicular exhaust. Nevertheless there is no published data on the effect of volatile organic compounds, such as gasoline, on health effect in Ethiopia in general, and in Tigray area in particular.
Objective: To assess liver and renal function tests among gasoline exposed gas station workers in Mekelle city, Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia
Method: A cross sectional comparative study was conduct from January 2018 to April 2018 at Mekelle city, Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia. A total of 90 (43 gasoline exposed and 47 controls) study participants were involved in this study by convenience sampling method. Data was collected using structured questionnaire. About 3mL blood was collected on serum separator tube. Liver and renal function tests were analyzed by Pentra C400 automated clinical chemistry analyzer. Data was analyzed using SPSS Ver23. Frequency table, percent, Student independent t-test, and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical methods were employed for data analysis. P-value < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant at 95% confidence level.
Result: The mean age of the gasoline exposed and control study participants were 30.02(±8.62) and 29.85 (±7.29) years respectively. Mean work duration of gas station workers was 5.187± 4.39 years. The mean level of ALT, AST, Urea, creatinine, and uric acid was significantly higher among gasoline stations workers when compared to control study participants. There was also a significant increase in ALT, AST, Urea, creatinine and uric acid among gas stations with above 6 years exposure when compared with those exposed for ≤2 and3-6years. The highest and lowest number of workers who worn gown and gloves at work place (42(97.7%) and (n=1, 2.3%) respectively. Majority of gasoline station workers 39(90.7%) had awareness on health impact of inhalational of gasoline. Besides to inhalation, 41(95.3%).gas station workers knew other route of exposure to gasoline has health impact
Conclusion: These findings suggest that high liver and renal parameters are associated with exposure to gasoline and it is dependent on time of exposure to gasoline.
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Keywords
Gasoline, Gas station, liver function Tests, kidney function tests