Reticulocytes and solvents: an epidemiological study

Objectives - The aim of the study was to look for a rise in reticulocyte le vels in workers exposed to various solvents, in comparison to non exposed c ontrol subjects. Methods - A cohort of exposed workers was selected on the criterion of exposure to solvents, among employees regularly attending the Centre of Occupational Medicine of Molsheim (France) during the second trim ester of 1995. Controls were selected over the same period from the volunta ry blood donors of the Transfusion Centre of Strasbourg (France). Complete blood counts and flow cytometric reticulocyte counts were determined in all blood samples. Results - Analysis of the haematological parameters display ing significant differences revealed the existence of higher levels of circ ulating reticulocytes and lymphocytes in workers exposed to solvents than i n control subjects. These variations did not appear to depend on the intens ity or length of exposure. Conclusions This study demonstrates the occurren ce of an increase in circulating reticulocytes in relation to occupational exposure to solvents, without as yet providing sufficient information to al low elucidation of the underlying mechanism. An increase in total circulati ng lymphocytes was observed in the same group of exposed workers. The conco mitant rise in absolute values of these two elements of the blood counts is to our knowledge described here for the first time in an epidemiological s tudy.