Assessment of Serum Electrolytes, Urea and Creatinine Among Commercial Bus Drivers in Ekpoma, Edo State

The present study was undertaken to assess the serum Urea, Creatinine and Electrolyte status of Commercial Bus Drivers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, Edo state. One hundred (100) healthy male subjects were used which consist of sixty-five (65) healthy Commercial bus drivers (test subjects) and Thirty-Five healthy individual who were not bus drivers (control subjects). Five milliliters (5mls) of blood samples were collected from the subjects for the analysis of serum electrolytes, urea and creatinine using standard laboratory methods. The results of this study revealed that serum Urea levels of the control group (17.70 ± 5.23 mg/dl) was significantly lower (P< 0.05) than that of the Commercial bus drivers (23.19 ± 4.40 mg/dl). The serum potassium mean value of the control group (3.71 ± 0.26mg/dl) was also significantly lower (p<0.05) than that of the commercial bus drivers (3.93 ± 0.19 mg/dl). Also, the mean values of Serum Creatinine, Sodium, Chloride and Bicarbonate of the Commercial bus drivers were not statistically significant (P> 0.05) when compared with the control group. This study however gave an indication that renal function status was altered in commercial bus drivers considering the nature and lifestyle factors associated with such jobs.