Assessment of Certain Biochemical Parameters among Petrol Station Workers in Sana’a City, Yemen

Abstract

Objective: To assess hepatic and renal functions among petrol station workers in Sana'a city, Yemen. Methods: A comparative, cross-sectional study was conducted in Sana'a city, in the period from November 2017 to April 2018. It included 109 petrol station workers exposed to petrol for at least six hours daily over a period of six months or more and 109 apparently healthy office clerks from the University of Science and Technology as non-exposed individuals. Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire through face-to-face interview. Then, blood samples were collected from petrol station workers and office clerks and tested for albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea and creatinine in the Laboratory Department of the University of Science and Technology Hospital. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 23.0. Results: The mean concentration of serum albumin among petrol station workers was significantly lower than that of office clerks. In contrast, the mean level of serum ALP was significantly higher among the petrol station workers than the office clerks. On the other hand, there were no statistically significant differences in the mean levels of serum ALT and AST between the two groups. Although the mean concentrations of creatinine and urea were higher among office clerks than petrol station workers, the difference was only significantly higher for creatinine among office clerks. Conclusions: Although no specific biochemical abnormalities exist in the hepatic and renal functions of petrol station workers in Sana'a city, these parameters may show evident effects with prolonged exposure to petrol components. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes, longer durations of exposure and regular follow-up are recommended to assess the impact of long-term exposure to petrol on hepatic and renal functions.