OCCUPATIONAL FACTORS AND RENAL-DISEASE

The male-to-female ratio of patients requiring dialysis treatment comm only approaches 2:1. It is proposed that environmental factors, partic ularly occupational exposure to hydrocarbons, may account for the exce ss number of male patients. The term ''hydrocarbon'' refers to the ali phatic, alicyclic, aromatic, and halogenated hydrocarbons (carbon tetr achloride, chloroform); glycols (ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, d ioxane, glycerol); and organic solvents. Hydrocarbons commonly find us e as solvents in industrial manufacturing practices because of their l ipid solubility. Hydrocarbons have long been known to be neurotoxicant s, affecting both peripheral and central nervous systems. Although ben zene and its derivative have a known association with uroepithelial tu mors, there is now a considerable body of evidence suggesting a possib le role for hydrocarbon exposure in the development of nonneoplastic r enal diseases. This article presents an epidemiological case for such an association and critically reviews the literature.