Viau C, Bernard A, Lauwerys R, Buchet J P, Quaeghebeur L, Cornu M E, Phillips S C, Mutti A, Lucertini S, Franchini I
Am J Ind Med. 1987;11(2):177-87. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700110207.
We examined sensitive biochemical and immunological markers of kidney function and damage in 53 male oil refinery workers exposed to hydrocarbons and compared their results with those of a control group of 61 age-matched nonexposed males. The mean duration of employment of exposed males was 11 years. The current levels of exposure to a variety of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, as determined by personal monitoring, were well below the current threshold limit values. No difference was found in the urinary tubular parameters beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase, beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) and retinol-binding protein. Similar serum beta 2-m levels indicated no impairment of the glomerular filtration rate in the exposed workers. The levels of circulating immune complexes were also identical in both groups. The mean albuminuria was slightly higher (p less than .005) in the exposed group in a quantitative assay but was not dipstick-detectable. The mean urinary excretion of a renal antigen was also higher (p less than .05) in the exposed group and correlated with the excretion of albumin. Finally, slightly higher titers of anti-laminin antibodies were found in five exposed employees, but this was not accompanied by an increased albuminuria. We conclude that chronic low-level hydrocarbon exposure in these refinery workers does not lead to clinically significant renal abnormalities. Nevertheless, some findings are consistent with the possible role of hydrocarbon exposure in the induction of renal disturbances.
我们检测了53名接触碳氢化合物的男性炼油厂工人肾脏功能和损伤的敏感生化及免疫标志物，并将他们的结果与61名年龄匹配的未接触碳氢化合物的男性对照组进行了比较。接触碳氢化合物的男性的平均工作年限为11年。通过个人监测确定的目前对各种脂肪族和芳香族碳氢化合物的接触水平远低于目前的阈限值。在肾小管参数β-N-乙酰-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶、β2-微球蛋白（β2-m）和视黄醇结合蛋白方面未发现差异。血清β2-m水平相似表明接触碳氢化合物的工人肾小球滤过率未受损。两组循环免疫复合物水平也相同。在定量检测中，接触碳氢化合物的组中平均蛋白尿略高（p<0.005），但用试纸条检测不到。接触碳氢化合物的组中肾脏抗原的平均尿排泄量也较高（p<0.05），且与白蛋白排泄量相关。最后，在5名接触碳氢化合物的员工中发现抗层粘连蛋白抗体滴度略高，但这并未伴有蛋白尿增加。我们得出结论，这些炼油厂工人长期低水平接触碳氢化合物不会导致临床上显著的肾脏异常。然而，一些发现与接触碳氢化合物在引发肾脏紊乱中可能发挥的作用一致。
