Teodorico Casale1, Carmina Sacco1, Serafino Ricci2, Beatrice Loreti1, Alessandro Pacchiarotti1, Vincenzo Cupelli3, Giulio Arcangeli3, Nicola Mucci4, Vittorio Antuono1, Federica De Marco1, Gianfranco Tomei5, Francesco Tomei6, Maria Valeria Rosati1. 1. University of Rome "La Sapienza", Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and the Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy. 2. Department of Anatomy, Histology, Legal Medicine and Orthopaedics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. 3. Chair of Occupational Medicine, Health Services Research Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence. 1/23 Largo Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy. 4. Chair of Occupational Medicine, Health Services Research Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence. 1/23 Largo Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy; Institute of Occupational Medicine, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, 1 Largo Francesco Vito, 00168 Rome, Italy. 5. Department of Psychiatric and Psychological Science, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: gianfranco.tomei@uniroma1.it. 6. Spin off of University of Rome " Sapienza " "Sipro", Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies in the literature have examined the effects of benzene on blood cells. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible correlation between the blood benzene levels and the blood cell counts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From a population of 2658 workers, we studied a group of 215 subjects. Each worker underwent blood sampling for the assessment of the blood benzene levels and the blood cell counts. The Mann-Whitney U test for two-mode variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for more-than-two-mode variables were performed on all subjects. We estimated the Pearson correlation index between the variables in the total sample and the subgroups divided according to sex, the smoking habit, and job. After the main confounding factors were evaluated, multiple linear regression was performed on both the total sample and the subgroups. RESULTS: A significant inverse correlation was found among the blood benzene levels and the white blood cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils in traffic policemen, motorcyclists, and other outdoor workers. We did not find any significant correlation with any other parameters of blood cell count. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results, which must be considered preliminary, indicate that increased blood benzene levels in outdoor workers lead to decreased counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, because of possible immune effects. These are worth investigating in the future by specific immune tests.
BACKGROUND: Few studies in the literature have examined the effects of benzene on blood cells. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible correlation between the blood benzene levels and the blood cell counts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From a population of 2658 workers, we studied a group of 215 subjects. Each worker underwent blood sampling for the assessment of the blood benzene levels and the blood cell counts. The Mann-Whitney U test for two-mode variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for more-than-two-mode variables were performed on all subjects. We estimated the Pearson correlation index between the variables in the total sample and the subgroups divided according to sex, the smoking habit, and job. After the main confounding factors were evaluated, multiple linear regression was performed on both the total sample and the subgroups. RESULTS: A significant inverse correlation was found among the blood benzene levels and the white blood cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils in traffic policemen, motorcyclists, and other outdoor workers. We did not find any significant correlation with any other parameters of blood cell count. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results, which must be considered preliminary, indicate that increased blood benzene levels in outdoor workers lead to decreased counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, because of possible immune effects. These are worth investigating in the future by specific immune tests.