Anicteric hepatoxicity: a potential health risk of occupational exposures in Nigerian petroleum oil refining and distribution industry

Table 1 Value ranges and means of liver function parameters studied in the oil workers (PPMC and PHRC put together) compared with the NON-OIL WORKERS

Parameter	Non-oilworkers (N = 30)	Mean ± SD	Oil workers (N = 303)	Mean ± SD	P-value (2-tailed)	Normal range & unit of parameter
Parameter	Range		Range	Mean ± SD	P-value (2-tailed)	Normal range & unit of parameter
Age	35.00-59.00	47.37 ± 6.74*	28.00-60.00	43.30 ± 7.03	0.003
Service period**	3.00-34.00	20.03 ± 8.77*	3.00-34.00	16.18 ± 6.42	0.003	Up to 35 yrs
Total bilirubin	0.50-1.00	0.58 ± 0.13	0.30-1.60	0.66 ± 0.20*	0.000	0- 1.00 mg/dl
ALK. PHOS	40.00-111.00	66.83 ±18.54	50.00-296.00	126.21 ± 39.49*	0.000	50-250 U/L
AST	18.00-44.00	26.89 ± 6.99*	5.80-140.20	21.81 ± 11.49	0.018	0-45 U/L (M), 0-35 U/L (F)
ALT	10.00-55.00	22.30 ± 10.22	4.90-86.60	22.14 ± 11.28	0.941	0-45 U/L (M), 0-35 U/L (F)

T-test was the statistical tool applied. * indicates statistically significant difference [**Service Period = number of years the worker had been engaged in the work, amounting to his/her cumulative years of exposure to the hazards of his/her workplace (i.e. exposure period). Presently, 35 yrs is the maximum service period that qualifies an average civil servant for retirement in Nigeria, and is therefore considered as the upper limit of normal for service period in this report].

ISSN: 1745-6673