OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the three blood cell series and identify the presence of hypochromia, macrocytosis, leucopenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia in a group of workers exposed to the mixture of benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study which included 97 workers from a paint factory in Mexico. The participants underwent conventional blood count and tests for potential cumulative daily dose of BTX fumes, to estimate exposure. RESULTS: From the total of workers, 19.6% showed macrocytosis, 18.6%, lymphopenia, hypochromia 10.3%, 7.2% and 5.2% thrombocytopenia leukopenia. The crude association of macrocytosis with exposure to high doses of BTX mixture was the only with statistical significance (OR: 3.6, 95% CI 1.08 to 13.9, P = 0.02), and the base for a logistic regression model (OR: 6.7, 95% CI 1.33 to 13.55, P = 0.02) adjusted for age, alcohol consumption, and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: All blood cytological components analyzed demonstrated mild changes, potentially associated with exposure to the mixture of BTX. Macrocytosis could constitute an early manifestation worthy for surveillance.
OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the three blood cell series and identify the presence of hypochromia, macrocytosis, leucopenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia in a group of workers exposed to the mixture of benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study which included 97 workers from a paint factory in Mexico. The participants underwent conventional blood count and tests for potential cumulative daily dose of BTX fumes, to estimate exposure. RESULTS: From the total of workers, 19.6% showed macrocytosis, 18.6%, lymphopenia, hypochromia 10.3%, 7.2% and 5.2% thrombocytopenia leukopenia. The crude association of macrocytosis with exposure to high doses of BTX mixture was the only with statistical significance (OR: 3.6, 95% CI 1.08 to 13.9, P = 0.02), and the base for a logistic regression model (OR: 6.7, 95% CI 1.33 to 13.55, P = 0.02) adjusted for age, alcohol consumption, and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: All blood cytological components analyzed demonstrated mild changes, potentially associated with exposure to the mixture of BTX. Macrocytosis could constitute an early manifestation worthy for surveillance.