Role of Predictive Variables and Their Interplay to Develop Anemia in Traffic Wardens

Abstract

Objective of this study was to evaluate the role of lead present in the traffic environment induce hemolytic anemia in the traffic wardens who were highly exposed to the traffic exhaust. Cross sectional comparative study. Biochemical analyses were performed in Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), The University of Lahore-Pakistan. 100 traffic wardens with diagnosed anemia and 100 healthy individuals were taken as controls. MDA, SOD, GSH, GPx, GR, NO, δ-ALAD, CAT, Vit-A, Vit-C and Vit-E were measured through spectrophotometer. Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and lead (Pb) were measured through Elisa Kit by following their respective protocols. Significantly high levels of MDA, NO and Pb (B) were observed in anemic traffic wardens (4.59±0.76 nmol/ml, p=0.011), (53.22±5.74 µmol/ml, p=0.022) and (29.76±3.76 µg/dl, p=0.039) respectively as compared to the healthy controls, whereas levels of ALAD, SOD and GSH were decreased significantly in subjects (11.09±1.87 U/L, p=0.017), (0.43±0.06 µg/ml, p=0.037) and (3.09±1.26 µg/ml, p=0.038) in May, 2018, 7(5) comparison with controls. High exposure of traffic exhaust increases the levels of lead that raise the MDA levels and reduces the levels of antioxidants resulting in oxidative stress. Lead reduces the levels of ALAD and Hb that results in hemolytic anemia. High exposure of lead in traffic wardens also induces oxidative stress by increasing the levels of MDA and NO. Moreover it might be concluded that lead that is used as an anti-knocking agent in traffic vehicles should be prohibited or maximally reduced in petroleum.