Renal function in dry cleaning workers exposed to perchloroethylene

Abstract

Perchloroethylene (PCE) is a widely used dry cleaning and degreasing solvent. Although there is evidence in animals and humans for renal effects at extremely high doses, there are few studies of its potential renal toxicity at typical occupational concentrations. This study reports on the relationship of PCE in breath and estimates of chronic exposure with the urinary ratios of total urinary protein, albumin, and n-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) to creatinine in dry cleaning workers exposed to PCE. Regression models including one or more exposure variables, demographic variables, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and the presence of diseases affecting kidney function were examined.Urine samples, breath samples, exposure histories, and medical histories were obtained from 192 dry cleaning workers. The results failed to demonstrate any consistent relationship between exposure and renal outcome variables. However, proteinlcreatinine and albumidcreatinine were significantly, although weakly and positively, associated with MAP; NAGJcreatinine was weakly but significantly positively associated with age; mean NAGkreatinine was also higher in non-whites. The reasons why an association between exposure and renal outcome was not found are discussed.

Hazard evaluation of chemicals that cause accumulation of alpha 2u-globulin, hyaline droplet nephropathy, and tubule neoplasia in the kidneys of male rats.

“…Based on an absence of elevated levels of urinary NAG in patients receiving 150mg levamisole per day for 26 weeks, there is little evidence to indicate that this compound is nephrotoxic in humans (166). In addition, no positive association between urinary NAG and acute or chronic exposure was noted in a prevalence study of 180 dry-cleaning workers exposed to tetrachloroethylene (167). Because urinary NAG is only slightly elevated in male rats exposed to CIGA, however, urine chemistry may not be a good biological monitor of the type of nephrotoxicity associated with CIGA.…”

Trichloroethylene exposure in vapour degreasing and the urinary excretion of N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase

“…In studies covering subjects like heavy metals (Meyer et al 1984;Barreg&d et al 1988;Kawada et al 1989;Buchet et al 1990;Endo et al 1990), various organic solvents (Meyer et al 1984;Hotz et al 1992) and silica (Nq et al 1992), significantly positive results between U-NAG and the relevant exposure have been obtained, whereas other studies have yielded negative results (Solet and Robins 1991;Gerhardsson et al 1992).…”

Occupational Exposure to Paints Causes Impairment of Kidney Functions

“…The limitation of this study, which should be noted, is urine analyses for protein because of technical reasons. However, previous cohort and cross-sectional studies [22][23][24], which have proven the association between chronic exposure to solvents and albuminurea seem to be adequate. Occupational renal diseases are important because they are entirely preventable.…”