Relationship between Subclinical Nephropathy and Oxidative Stress in Azandrian Silica Workers

Background and Objective: Hamedan province is one of the centers for silica production in the country, and accordingly, the pollution intensity of silica-crushing factories in this province is very high. Due to the emission of silica particles in these units, workers and other employees of these units are at risk of exposure to these particles. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 35 exposed workers and 45 control group without any exposure to silica. A volume of 10 cc of venous blood was taken from the study subjects. Biochemical tests, such as creatinine, urea, and alkaline phosphatase, were performed using turbidometry (colorimetry), enzymatic and photometry, and spectrophotometry methods, respectively. Results: According to the results of this study, no difference was observed in the level of malondialdehyde index between the two groups; regarding this, the average of the two observation and control groups was about 0.4 (P=0.115). The glutathione peroxidase index in the study group was slightly lower than the control group. The reactive nitrogen species factor was higher in the exposure group than in the control group. The alkaline phosphatase test in the exposure group was slightly lower than that in the control group. The urinary uric acid level was lower in the exposure group than in the control group. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that exposure to crystalline silica did not cause a significant increase in the indicators of oxidative stress and nephropathy. Therefore, it seems that further studies with a larger sample size are needed to definitively comment on the relationship between exposure to crystalline silica and changes in oxidative stress markers and nephropathy indicators.