Analysis of inflammatory markers in apparently healthy automobile vehicle drivers in response to exposure to traffic pollution fumes: Inflammatory markers in healthy automobile vehicle drivers

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate pattern of markers of inflammation in apparently healthy drivers who exposed to traffic fumes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2016 to January 2017 at Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro. It looked into the effects of traffic pollutants on markers of inflammation including CRP, Leukocytes count, IL-6, TNF-α, TNF-β of healthy human volunteers. Eighty-seven, apparently healthy, non-smoking automobile vehicle drivers, having daily contact of traffic exhaust for at least six hours, aged between 18-40 years recruited for this study. Levels of traffic-generated pollutants P.M2.5, P.M10, NOx were recorded in different areas of Hyderabad City.

Results: P.M2.5 found to be positively correlated with markers of inflammation including IL-6 (rs = 0.99), TNF-α (rs = 0.41), CRP mg/dl (rs = 0.99) , neutrophils (rs = 0.29), lymphocytes (rs = 0.31), eosinophils (rs = 0.20), monocytes (rs = 0.42) and basophils (rs = 0.16). Positive correlation present among IL-6 (rs = 0.21), TNF-α (rs = 0.49) and CRP mg/dl (rs = 0.22) (rs = -0.31), Leukocytes (rs = 0.14) neutrophils (rs = 0.31), lymphocytes (rs = 0.21), monocytes (rs = 0.50), basophils (rs = 0.17) with P.M10. NOx showed positive correlation with IL-6 (rs = 0.22), TNF-α (rs = 0.48), CRP (rs = 0.22), neutrophils (rs = 0.31), lymphocytes (rs = 0.13), basophils (rs = 0.17) and monocytes (rs = 0.48).

Conclusion: Findings of our study suggest that almost all markers of inflammation are positively correlated with traffic pollutants and this condition might raise the risk of systemic diseases.