Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

  • Volume 34
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  • Pages.34.1-34.13
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  • 2022
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  • 1225-3618(pISSN)
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  • 2052-4374(eISSN)
The Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (대한직업환경의학회)
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The health effects of low blood lead level in oxidative stress as a marker, serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase level, in male steelworkers

  • Su-Yeon Lee (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital) ;
  • Yong-Jin Lee (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital) ;
  • Young-Sun Min (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital) ;
  • Eun-Chul Jang (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital) ;
  • Soon-Chan Kwon (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital) ;
  • Inho Lee (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital)
  • Received : 2022.05.30
  • Accepted : 2022.10.26
  • Published : 2022.12.31
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Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between lead exposure and serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) levels as an oxidative stress marker in male steelworkers. Methods: Data were collected during the annual health examination of workers in 2020. A total of 1,654 steelworkers were selected, and the variables for adjustment included the workers' general characteristics, lifestyle, and occupational characteristics. The association between the blood lead level (BLL) and serum γGT level was investigated by multiple linear and logistic regression analyses. The BLL and serum γGT values that were transformed into natural logarithms were used in multiple linear regression analysis, and the tertile of BLL was used in logistic regression analysis. Results: The geometric mean of the participants' BLLs and serum γGT level was 1.36 ㎍/dL and 27.72 IU/L, respectively. Their BLLs differed depending on age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, drinking status, shift work, and working period, while their serum γGT levels differed depending on age, BMI, smoking status, drinking status, physical activity, and working period. In multiple linear regression analysis, the difference in models 1, 2, and 3 was significant, obtaining 0.326, 0.176, and 0.172 (all: p < 0.001), respectively. In the multiple linear regression analysis stratified according to drinking status, BMI, and age, BLLs were positively associated with serum γGT levels. Regarding the logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of the third BLL tertile in models 1, 2, and 3 (for having an elevated serum γGT level within the first tertile reference) was 2.74, 1.83, and 1.81, respectively. Conclusions: BLL was positively associated with serum γGT levels in male steelworkers even at low lead concentrations (< 5 ㎍/dL).

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Mr. Nam Hun Heo, Department of Clinical trial center, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Choenan, Korea for his statistical assistance and Enago (www.enago.co.kr) for the English language review.

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