[Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio in health surveillance of workers exposed to vinyl chloride monomer: preliminary results].

An AST/ALT ratio > 1 is predictive of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The aim of this case-control study is to assess AST/ALT ratio in 150 workers exposed to VCM (E) from the beginning of the 1960s to the end of the 1990s. The non-exposed group (NE) consists in 150 male workers employed in the production of a food industry. At least since 1983 exposed subjects worked at VCM environmental concentrations < 3 ppm. All the workers underwent venous blood collection for assessment of AST and ALT. Exposed workers presented mean AST/ALT ratio and frequency of AST/ALT ratio > 1 significantly higher than non-exposed. The mean AST/ALT ratio results significantly higher in the exposed group, also after stratification for alcohol consumption. In exposed workers who consume alcoholic beverages and are operating since before 1983 AST/ALT ratio is significantly and positively influenced only by the working age until 1983. If these results will be confirmed, AST/ALT ratio could be proposed to be included in the periodic medical surveillance of VCM workers.