[ OSH-Link Home
| IVI Online
| Comments ]
Occupational risk factors for chronic renal failure (CRF) were investigated in a case-control study. Cases consisted of 272 persons with CRF from Antwerp, Liege, and Turnhout, Belgium. The controls consisted of 272 persons randomly selected from Antwerp, Turnhout, Liege, and three nearby rural communities. Significantly increased risks for CRF were found for exposure to lead, copper, chromium, tin, mercury, welding fumes, silicon compounds, grain dusts, and oxygenated hydrocarbons. The frequency of exposure to these agents was higher in CRF patients with diabetic nephropathy, renal vascular disease, and glomerulonephritis. Mean blood lead concentrations were significantly higher in the cases than in the controls. The authors conclude that the study confirms previously identified risk factors for CRF such as heavy metal exposures and suggests some new exposures, such as grain dust, that might increase the risk.
Lancet, 346(8966):1995. (30 references)
You can do a search of the OSH-DB database and get a list of articles on any topic of interest on our Visitor Search Page. Access to read the articles is limited to OSH-DB subscribers.