Evaluation of heat stress and cumulative incidence of acute kidney injury in sugarcane workers in Guatemala

Objective Agricultural workers worldwide exposed to heat stress could be at the risk of kidney injury, which could lead to chronic kidney disease of an unknown origin (CKDu). Hydration has been promoted as a key measure to reduce kidney injury. In the presence of a hydration intervention, the incide...

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Published in:	International archives of occupational and environmental health 2019-10, Vol.92 (7), p.977-990
Main Authors:	Butler-Dawson, Jaime, Krisher, Lyndsay, Yoder, Hillary, Dally, Miranda, Sorensen, Cecilia, Johnson, Richard J., Asensio, Claudia, Cruz, Alex, Johnson, Evan C., Carlton, Elizabeth J., Tenney, Liliana, Asturias, Edwin J., Newman, Lee S.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Acute Kidney Injury - etiology Acute Kidney Injury - prevention & control Adult Agriculture Cohort Studies Creatinine Creatinine - blood Dehydration Dehydration - epidemiology Dehydration - prevention & control Earth and Environmental Science Electrolytes Environment Environmental Health Farmers Farmworkers Gravity Guatemala Health risks Heat stress Heat Stress Disorders - epidemiology Heat tolerance Humans Hydration Incidence Injury prevention Kidney diseases Kidneys Longitudinal Studies Male Measurement methods Occupational Exposure - adverse effects Occupational health Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine Original Original Article Prevalence Prospective Studies Rehabilitation Risk analysis Risk factors Saccharum Specific Gravity Sugarcane Workers
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Summary:	Objective Agricultural workers worldwide exposed to heat stress could be at the risk of kidney injury, which could lead to chronic kidney disease of an unknown origin (CKDu). Hydration has been promoted as a key measure to reduce kidney injury. In the presence of a hydration intervention, the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was calculated in a sugarcane worker population in Guatemala and several risk factors were evaluated. Methods We measured kidney function at the beginning and end of the work shift at three time points in 517 sugarcane workers. We defined AKI as an increase in serum creatinine of 26.5 µmol/L or 50% or more from the pre-shift value. Associations between AKI and risk factors were examined, including interactions with hydration status. Results The prevalence of dehydration post-shift (> 1.020 specific gravity) was 11% in February, 9% in March, and 6% in April. Cumulative incidence of AKI was 53% in February, 54% in March, and 51% in April. AKI was associated with increasing post-shift specific gravity, a dehydration marker, (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.02–1.52) and with lower electrolyte solution intake (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89–0.99). Conclusions Dehydration and insufficient electrolyte consumption are risk factors for AKI. However even well-hydrated sugarcane workers routinely experience AKI. While hydration is important and protective, there is a need to understand other contributors to risk of AKI and identify prevention strategies with these workers.
ISSN:	0340-0131 1432-1246