摘要：Health monitoring in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and particularly in shoe industry is an obvious necessity in current conditions of Romanian economy in transition, in spite of the difficulties implied by this task. The aim of this paper was to analyze the relationship between different exposure and effect markers and other biochemical indices with the occupational risk factors and to detect if and how they reflect in the health status of the exposed workers. Material and methods. The exposed group (61 workers from shoes manufacturing factory from which 82% female) was investigated by a complex protocol including biochemical, immunological (IgE), and cytogenetic tests (oral mucosa micronucleus). P ost-shift urinary acetone, hippuric and methylhippuric acid, total phenols and sulphate index were assayed. Results and discussions. The results were statistically analyzed and were compared to a control-matched unexposed group (n=58). The most frequent changes were found in sulphate index ratio and in micronucleus test. Serum IgE correlated with urinary acetone ( r=0.39, p<0.05, n=35 ) in exposed with more than 5 years of service in footwear industry, showing the link of exposure with the frequent allergic outcomes diagnosed in these workers. Urinary sulphate index correlated negatively with the length of exposure in this industry (r = -0.52, p<0.01), showing the time dependence of this marker. Urinary hippuric acid correlated with total phenols ( r=0.78, p<0.001 ) and also with urinary creatinine ( r=0.57, p<0.01 ) suggesting the organism’s intense effort for the detoxification of the solvents inhaled. Conclusions. We assume that the health status of the investigated workers seemed to be affected by working conditions. Our results demonstrate the need for further monitoring of these workers, in order to avoid harmful occupationally-induced health consequences. We recommend some measures for the reduction of workplace risk factors impact upon workers health.
关键词： s olvent, occupational exposure, marker, effect
