Study of Cytomorphological Patterns of Respiratory and Urinary Tracts Among Sudanese Painting Workers in Khartoum State

Abstract

This study was conducted in industrial areas in Khartoum state during the period from May to October 2011. It was aimed to study the cytomorphological patterns of respiratory and urinary tracts of paint workers. Sputum and urine samples were collected from 100 paint workers, all of them were male, non-smokers or snuffers or alcoholics, selected randomly as case group, their age ranged from 16 to 77 years with mean age of 31 year. In addition to fifty healthy individuals were selected as control, their age ranged from 16 to 55 years with mean age 35 year. Sputum and urine samples were prepared and stained with Papanicolaou stain. The study found urine and sputum cytological results of the study group were significant when correlated to control group. In sputum cytological results of the study groups: 46% showed no changes, acute inflammatory cells were observed in 18%, chronic inflammatory cells were observed in 28 % and dyskaryotic cells in 8%. While no cytological changes were showed in control groups. In urine cytological results of the study groups: 79% showed no cytological changes, acute inflammatory cells were observed in 14%, chronic inflammatory cells were observed in 1% and dyskaryotic cell were observed in 1%. While no cytological changes were showed in control groups. The study found a significant relation between sputum and urine cytological results with the duration of employment , and no significant relation between sputum and urine cytological results with age, working load of employment, and types of paint. The study concluded that exposure to paints and its solvents are the risk factors of respiratory and urinary tract atypical cellular changes and the possibility of respiratory and urinary tract infection. The degree of change depends on duration of exposure to the paints and its solvents. The study recommends that painting workers must wear safety protective clothes such as, mask, coats and eye glass. They also should undergo continuous cytological screening of urine and sputum; also more advanced diagnostic methods should be done to detect cytological changes in their urine and sputum. More studies should be conducted to address this topic as it is a serious problem and for better assessment larger study group must be included. It is also important to design studies with better exposure assessment to identify the underlying carcinogenic agents encountered in painting.