EVALUATION OF SOME HAEMOSTATIC PARAMETERS IN OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED BRONZE CASTERS IN BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

Workplace hazards exert a large toll on the society in terms of morbidity, mortality, financial and social costs. Bronze casting is a metal forming process and involves moulding/pattern making, core making, melting pouring, shakeout and dressing/cleaning. The working environment of foundries (bronze casting) is hazardous and characterized by multiple simultaneous chemical, physical and mechanical hazards exposure, which could lead to injury, disabilities and disease in the workers. The aim of this research study is to demonstrate the effects of bronze casting on some haemostatic parameters of bronze casters in Benin City. This was a blood cross-sectional study of a population consisting of 50 bronze casters, 20 environmental cohort subjects and 30 controls from bronze casting location in Benin City. Blood samples were collected to access the haemostatic parameters of the bronze casters and were compared with a control group that comprises of office staffs and students of the University of Benin. The result of the haemostatic study of the bronze casters showed a higher significant statistical difference for fibrinogen 119.2±18.01 mg/dl (p < 0.004) for the bronze casters when compared to the control 59.7±6.631 mg/dl. Prothrombin time and APTT test in the study of the bronze casters showed a significant statistical decrease (5.84±0.9086 secs; 25.52±1.922 secs) (p < 0.001); when compared to the control group (16.6±1.872 secs; 43.2±4.970 secs) (p < 0.001) respectively. This work concludes that there was a measure of inflammation in the exposed group as shown by the raise in fibrinogen level. Also the prolonged PT and APTT implies a deranged coagulable state in this subjects.