solvents: acase-referent study

Toevaluate theriskofchronic glomerulonephritis insubjects exposed tosolvent vapours, acase-referent studywascarried out.Thecase group,including 60patients (44men and16 women) with non-systemicchronic glomerulonephritis, established bybiopsy, was comparedwith 120 controlsubjects (60 patients withtraumaticfractures and 60 patients affected bynephrolithiasis) matched bysexandage.Information onoccupational andnon-occupational exposure tosolvent was obtainedby questionnaire. The exposure scoresdrawnfromquestionnaires weresignificantly higher inthecasegroupthaninthe referent groupsforbothtotal andoccupational solvent exposure. Nosignificant differences in non-occupational exposurewerefound.The oddsratioofchronicglomerulonephritis for occupationally exposed(score>0)was 39 (95%confidence interval (95%CI)1-64-8-33). WhenIgAnephropathy patients (n= 27)were separately evaluated, an increased riskwas found for both totaland occupational exposure. Usingalogistic regression model, a dose-response effect foroccupational exposure wasseen.Theresults supportthehypothesis thatchronicglomerulonephritis may be relatedto environmental factorssuchas exposure tohydrocarbons.