| Nonwelders | Welders: iron in cellular residue | p-value# |
≤1.5 µg·L−1 | >1.5 µg·L−1 | All | Welders versus nonwelders | Test for trend |
Inflammatory markers in blood | | | | | | |
Neutrophils 109 cells·L−1 | 3.3 (31) | 3.6 (13) | 3.1 (14) | 3.3 (27) | 0.99 | 0.73 |
Lymphocytes 109 cells·L−1 | 2.0 (31) | 2.0 (13) | 1.7 (14) | 1.8 (27) | 0.10 | 0.03 |
Monocytes 109 cells·L−1 | 0.5 (30) | 0.5 (13) | 0.5 (14) | 0.5 (27) | 0.98 | 0.95 |
Eosinophils¶ 109 cells·L−1 | 0.1, 33%≥0.2 (30) | 0.3, 62%≥0.2 (13) | 0.2, 71%≥0.2 (14) | 0.2, 67%≥0.2 (27) | 0.01 | 0.09 |
Basophils¶ 109 cells·L−1 | 0.1, 17%≥0.2 (30) | 0.1, 31%≥0.2 (13) | 0.2, 71%≥0.2 (14) | 0.2, 52%≥0.2 (27) | 0.02 | 0.04 |
White blood cells 109 cells·L−1 | 6.0 (31) | 6.5 (13) | 5.5 (14) | 5.9 (27) | 0.77 | 0.37 |
C-reactive protein¶ mg·L−1 | <2, 19%>2 (31) | <2, 31%>2 (13) | <2, 36%>2 (14) | <2, 33%>2 (27) | 0.65 | 0.48 |
Inflammatory markers in sputum | | | | | | |
Macrophages ×106 cells·g−1 | 0.22 (31) | 0.30 (13) | 0.16 (14) | 0.22 (27) | 0.98 | 0.49 |
Neutrophils ×106 cells·g−1 | 0.086 (31) | 0.135 (13) | 0.060 (14) | 0.089 (27) | 0.82 | 0.75 |
Eosinophils¶ ×106 cells·g−1 | 0, 48%>0 (31) | 0, 38%>0 (13) | 0, 29%>0 (14) | 0, 33%>0 (27) | 0.16 | 0.34 |
Epithelial cells ×106 cells·g−1 | 0.040 (31) | 0.063 (13) | 0.040 (14) | 0.051 (27) | 0.34 | 0.82 |
Lymphocytes¶ ×106 cells·g−1 | 0.0009 (31) | 0.0027 (13) | 0.0001 (14) | 0.0006 (27) | 0.61 | 0.17 |
Total cells ×106 cells·g−1 | 0.42 (31) | 0.64 (13) | 0.31 (14) | 0.44 (27) | 0.77 | 0.59 |
Interleukin-8¶ ng·g−1 | 6.5 (31) | 5.1 (13) | 5.6 (14) | 5.6 (27) | 0.61 | 0.75 |
Myeloperoxidase¶ ng·g−1 | 0, 19%>0 (31) | 0, 38%>0 (13) | 0, 36%>0 (14) | 0, 37%>0 (27) | 0.15 | 0.36 |
TNF-α pg·g−1 | 1.74 (28) | 1.68 (12) | 2.07 (13) | 1.87 (25) | 0.80 | 0.87 |
MMP-9 ng·g−1 | 236 (24) | 244 (10) | 284 (13) | 266 (23) | 0.84 | 0.67 |
α2-Macroglobulin µg·mL−1 | 164 (23) | 160 (11) | 223 (13) | 193 (24) | 0.78 | 0.53 |
Immunological markers | | | | | | |
Pneumococcal IgG antibodies µ·mL−1 | 60 (31) | 108 (13) | 63 (13) | 83 (26) | 0.24 | 0.44 |
Neutrophil fluorescence % | 72 (31) | 68 (13) | 67 (14) | 68 (27) | 0.17 | 0.23 |
Neutrophil intensity | 115 (31) | 124 (13) | 142 (14) | 132 (27) | 0.18 | 0.12 |
IgA in sputum µg·mL−1 | 9.7 (25) | 11.6 (11) | 14.5 (12) | 13.0 (23) | 0.36 | 0.21 |
Markers of exposure and effect | | | | | | |
Total iron in supernatant µg·L−1 | 137 (31) | 157 (13) | 172 (14) | 165 (27) | 0.02 | 0.03 |
Total iron in cells µg·10−6 cells | 0.39 (31) | | | 1.32 (27) | <0.001 | |
Unsaturated iron-binding capacity µg·mL−1 | 3.32 (17) | 2.89 (6) | 2.58 (7) | 2.73 (13) | 0.02 | 0.01 |
Cell viability proportion | 0.80 (31) | 0.75 (13) | 0.83 (14) | 0.79 (27) | 0.85 | 0.63 |