Hematological changes in cement mill workers

OBJECTIVE: Considering the hazards of exposure to cement dust, this study incorporated basic hematological parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the total leukocyte count. The idea was to identify a simple, readily available and cost effective screening test that could help in identifying the presence of disease, its severity, or both in cement mill workers potentially related to their work place.

METHODS: This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hamdard University, Karachi and the University of Karachi, Pakistan, during the time frame 1999-2000. In this study a group of 50, apparently healthy volunteers male cement mill workers were randomly selected with ages ranging from 20-60 years. They were matched with another group of 50, control healthy male subjects in terms of age, height, weight and socioeconomic status. Both groups met with exclusion criteria as per standard. The total leukocyte count was performed on an auto analyzer, (Symex-K-1000 CP-Analyzer, Japan) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was measured by Westergren tube method. Results were compared in a mean, and on the basis of, period of exposure in a cement mill.

RESULTS: In the present study, the mean values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p<0.05) and total leukocyte count (p<0.02) significantly increased, but the parameters do not revealing statistically significant differences between 2 groups on the basis of duration of exposure in a cement mill.

CONCLUSION: This study has shown that exposure to cement dust causes increased mean values of total leukocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. However, this change is not related to the duration of exposure in a cement mill.