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Relationship between exposure to metalworking fluids and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

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Abstract

Objective

The relationship between metalworking fluids (MWFs) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been previously explored. We aim to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to MWFs and the prevalence of NAFLD and to determine the cumulative exposure threshold per day.

Methods

In 2020, 2079 employees were selected randomly from one computer numerical control machining factory in Wuxi for a questionnaire survey, and occupational health examinations were conducted at the affiliated branch of Wuxi Eighth People's Hospital. MWF samples were collected within the factory using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 5524 method. NAFLD was defined as having a hepatic steatosis index (HSI) ≥ 36 without significant alcohol consumption. The relationship between NAFLD and MWFs was analyzed using logistic regression, and the daily exposure threshold was calculated using R software.

Results

MWF exposure was found to be a risk factor for NAFLD in exposed workers compared to the non-exposed group. The OR for NAFLD in workers exposed to MWFs compared to controls was 1.42 (95% CI: 1.04–1.95). An increased risk of NAFLD was shown to be associated with an increasing dose. The daily exposure dose threshold to MWFs was found to be 6.54 mg/m3 (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.24–3.52).

Conclusion

An association between occupational exposure to MWFs and NAFLD was found. As the concentration of exposure rose, the prevalence of NAFLD was also escalated.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to personal privacy and hospital requirements that employee medical examination data cannot be disclosed, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are appreciative of the help provided by the Wuxi Eighth People's Hospital Physical Examination Center.

Funding

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China [Grant No. BK20211331].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Public Health, Nantong University, Se Yuan Road, No. 9, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China

    Weiling Chan, Geyang Li, Li Zhou, Jin Wang, Lin Song, Lejia Zhu, Lan Lin, Beining Wu & Yulong Lian

  2. Department of Occupational Environmental Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China

    Jing Xiao

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  1. Weiling Chan
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  2. Geyang Li
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  3. Li Zhou
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  4. Jin Wang
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Contributions

YL and WC contributed to the study’s conception and design. JX designed the questionnaire and communicated with the company and hospital. JW, LS, and LZ surveyed to collect data. LL and BW did the job of data entry and sorted it. WC, GL, and LZ analyzed the data. YL and WC wrote the first draft of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yulong Lian.

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The author declares that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

All subjects gave their signed informed consent after reading the research-related information. The study was approved by the Ethics Committees of Nantong University (2013-L073).

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Chan, W., Li, G., Zhou, L. et al. Relationship between exposure to metalworking fluids and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 97, 57–64 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-023-02025-z

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