Evaluating the renal status of wood sawmill workers exposed to wood dust: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease is a global public health menace. Occupational exposure to pesticides, environmental pollutants and nephrotoxic pharmaceuticals contributes to chronic kidney. This cross-sectional study evaluated the renal status of wood saw millers exposed to wood dust. A total of hundred and ninety-five (195) age and sex-matched males (111 wood saw millers exposed to wood dust for ≥ two years and 84 office workers not exposed to wood dust) were recruited by simple random sampling. The Ethical Committee of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, approved the study. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to assay the level of cadmium, arsenic, and lead in wood dust obtained from the wood saw millers' work environment and the study participants' blood samples. High levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead were contained in the wood dust. A noteworthy increase (p <0.001) in cadmium, arsenic and lead blood levels was observed in the wood saw millers' blood samples compared to the unexposed participants. The enzymatic and Jaffe methods were employed for the estimation of serum urea and creatinine, respectively. The chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration equation for estimated glomerular filtration rate was used to assess the kidney function. A noteworthy increase (p<0.001) was observed in the serum urea and creatinine levels of the wood saw millers compared to the unexposed subjects. In contrast to the unexposed, the estimated glomerular filtration rate of the wood saw millers showed a significant increase (p<0.001). This study suggests that occupational exposure to wood dust may harm the kidneys.