Abstract

The hematologic effect by low-concentration and repeated exposure to mixed organic solvent remains obscure. This study was performed to evaluate the hematologic effect by mixed organic solvent exposure, especially on the type of anemia by mean corpuscular volume(MCV) and red blood cell distribution width(RDW). The subject were 64 organic solvent workers(male 4, female 60) and 78 general workers(male 18, female 60) who showed anemic tendency in worker's health examination which carried out by Pusan Paik Hospital from January to December, 1988. The author gained some hematologic findings (hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC, WBC, MCV, MCHC, platelet count, ESR, RDW) from auto-analysis method by coulter counter S plus IV, and compared the type of anemia by MCV and RDW. In the pilot study for estimating the prevalence of anemia according to the type of job, the prevalence rate was higher in organic solvent workers than in public officials as 10.9% and 4.1% respectively. There were statistical significance in the value of hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCHC, platelet count, ESR, RDW between the two study groups with more severe anemic tendency in organic solvent workers. The type of anemia in organic solvent workers was microcytic and anisocytic with the mean value of 68.28+/-8.3fL of MCV and 19.1+/-4.0% of RDW.

• Keywords: organic solvent workershematologic effecttype of anemiaMCVRDW