Dimethylformamide-induced liver damage among synthetic leather workers

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Archives of Environmental Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1991.9937444· OSTI ID:5552486

Wang, J D; Lai, M Y; Chen, J S; Lin, J M; Chiang, J R; Shiau, S J; Chang, W S ^[1]

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1. Center for the Research of Environmental and Occupational Disease, Graduate Institute of Public Health and Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine (China)

Prevalence of liver injury associated with dimethylformamide (DMF) exposure was determined. Medical examinations, liver function tests, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) determinations were performed on 183 of 204 (76%) employees of a synthetic leather factory. Air concentrations of solvents were measured with personal samplers and gas chromatography. The concentration of DMF in air to which each worker was exposed was categorized. High exposure concentrations of DMF (i.e., 25-60 ppm) were significantly associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (ALT greater than or equal to 35 IU/l), a result that did not change even after stratification by hepatitis B carrier status. Modeling by logistic regression demonstrated that exposure to high concentrations of DMF was associated with an elevated ALT (p = .01), whereas hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was slightly but independently associated with an elevated ALT (p = .07). In those workers who had normal ALT values, there occurred still significantly higher mean ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, especially among those who were not HBsAg carriers. A significant association existed between elevated CPK levels and exposure to DMF. However, an analysis of the CPK isoenzyme among 143 workers did not reveal any specific damage to muscles. This outbreak of liver injury among synthetic leather workers is ascribed to DMF. It is recommended that the occupational standard for DMF and its toxicity among HBsAg carriers be evaluated further.

• OSTI ID: 5552486
• Journal Information: Archives of Environmental Health; (United States), Vol. 46:3; ISSN 0003-9896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMIDES
HEALTH HAZARDS
LIVER
SENSITIVITY
TRANSFERASES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
AIR POLLUTION
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
TAIWAN
ASIA
BODY
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ENZYMES
GLANDS
HAZARDS
ISLANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
POLLUTION
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology