1. Changes in kidney function among Nicaraguan sugarcane workers
- Author
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Michael D. McClean, Oriana Ramírez-Rubio, Rebecca L. Laws, Daniel E. Weiner, Juan José Amador, Chirag R. Parikh, Madeleine K. Scammell, José Marcel Sánchez, Daniel R. Brooks, Alejandro Riefkohl, Damaris López-Pilarte, and James S. Kaufman
- Subjects
Creatinine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Proteinuria ,biology ,business.industry ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Renal function ,Urine ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Mesoamerican nephropathy ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Animal science ,Endocrinology ,chemistry ,Internal medicine ,Albuminuria ,Medicine ,medicine.symptom ,Cane ,business ,Kidney disease - Abstract
Background:There is an epidemic of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown etiology in Central American workers.Objectives:To investigate changes and job-specific differences in kidney function over a 6-month sugarcane harvest season, explore the potential role of hydration, and measure proteinuria.Methods:We recruited 284 Nicaraguan sugarcane workers performing seven distinct tasks. We measured urine albumin and serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).Results:eGFR varied by job and decreased during the harvest in seed cutters (−8·6 ml/min/1·73 m2), irrigators (−7·4 ml/min/1·73 m2), and cane cutters (−5·0 ml/min/1·73 m2), as compared to factory workers. The number of years employed at the company was negatively associated with eGFR. Fewer than 5% of workers had albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) >30 mg/g.Conclusions:The decline in kidney function during the harvest and the differences by job category and employment duration provide evidence that one or more risk factors of CKD are ...
- Published
- 2015