Assessment of systemic inflammatory response markers in workers exposed to Pb from Pb battery plant

Abstract

The aim of present study was to assess the systemic inflammatory response markers (SIR) in male lead-exposed workers with the contemplation of lifestyle factors. The SIR markers and blood lead levels (BLLs) were assessed in two groups of Pb-exposed workers. The first group consists of 250 workers with their BLLs is ≤32 µg/dl and consider them as low-exposure. The second group consists of 229 workers with their BLL is >32 µg/dl and consider them as high exposure. White blood cell count (p = .05), neutrophils (p = .03) and systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) (p = .03) parameters were significantly increased in high-exposure group. A significant correlation was noted between BLLs and C-reactive protein (CRP) and CRP/albumin ratio in the high-exposure group. The results of linear regression analysis presented that the CRP, CRP/albumin ratio, white blood cell count, neutrophils, lymphocyte, prognostic index and Glasgow prognostic score were positively associated with body mass index (BMI). The extent of alcohol consumption presented the negative association with lymphocyte and positive association with the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). The experience presented a negative association with prognostic nutritional index. The smoking habit was presented the positive association with lymphocyte and negative association with the platelet-lymphocyte ratio. The results of the study indicated that the Pb-exposure and lifestyle factors significantly influenced the systemic inflammatory response markers.

Keywords:

• Systemic inflammatory responses markers
• lead exposure
• lead-battery plant and lifestyle factors

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This work was supported by National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, India.