Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

The Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (대한직업환경의학회)
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The Relationship of Serum CEA Levels and Type of Work in Shipyard Workers

일개 조선소 근로자에서 CEA 측정치와 직종간의 관련성

Park, Won-Ju;Kim, Myoung-Bo;Kim, Yang-Hyun;Park, Ryoung-Jin;Jang, Keun-Ho;Chae, Hong-Jae;Moon, Jai-Dong
박원주;김명보;김양현;박령진;장근호;채홍재;문재동

  • Published : 20091200
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Abstract

Objectives: Benign conditions have been known to cause an increase in the levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen, a level change that is often associated with an increase in the occurrence of malignancy. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between serum CEA levels and type of work in shipyard workers. Methods: From July-August 2007, 637 study subjects were enrolled into the study with the following characteristics: age 37$\sim$58 years, healthy shipyard workers, and who undergone an examination in a general hospital. Data on general characteristics was gathered from self-administered questionnaires. Information on job factors was collected from company personnel data. Serum CEA levels were measured after 10 hours'fasting. Results: The level of mean serum CEA was 1.83$\pm$1.20 ng/mL. On univariate analysis, the mean CEA level was significantly higher in older age groups (P<0.05), current smokers, lower education, and in production workers (P<0.01). After adjusting for age, BMI, cigarette smoking, job pattern, and educational level, the serum CEA level was higher in production workers than in office workers(P<0.01). This is particularly true in the shipyard painters, who had the highest level of CEA across job groups. Conclusions: The goal of this was to determine if there were differences in serum CEA levels according to occupational role in shipyard workers. Production shipyard workers had relatively higher level of serum CEA than office workers, most likely due to occupational exposure. This serum CEA level is influenced by occupation role. Serum CEA level could be a parameter for evaluating pollutant effects.

목적: 종양선별 검사에 널리 활용되고 있는 혈청 암태아성항원(carcino-embryonic antigen, 이하 CEA) 검사는 악성종양질환 뿐만 아니라 양성질환이나 흡연과 같은 생활 습관 등 다양한 교란요인에 의하여 영향을 받을 수 있다. 본 연구는 일개 조선소 근로자를 대상으로 CEA 측정값의 직종별 분포를 관찰하고, 직종의 차이가 혈청 CEA 측정치에 영향을 미치는지와 환경성 유해인자 노출의 지표로서 CEA의 활용가능성에 대하여 살펴보고자 하였다. 방법: 연구대상자는 2007년 7월부터 2007년 8월까지 일개 종합병원에 내원하여 건강진단을 받은 37$\sim$58세의 건강한 조선소 남자 근로자 637명을 대상으로 하였다. 자기 기입식 설문지와 신체계측을 통하여 일반적 특성에 관한 정보를 얻었고, 회사 인사자료를 통하여 근로자의 직종, 교대근무여부, 근무기간과 같은 직업요인에 대한 정보를 얻었다. 약 10시간의 공복 후에 혈액검사를 통하여, 혈중 CEA를 측정하였다. 결과: 연구대상자들의 평균 혈청 CEA 측정치는 1.83$\pm$1.20 ng/ml 이었다. 단변량 분석에서 CEA 측정치에 영향을 미치는 요인은 연령, 교육수준, 흡연, 직종으로 나타났다. CEA 측정치는 연령대가 높을수록(p<0.05), 현재 흡연자가 비흡연자에 비해, 고졸이하가 대졸이상에 비해, 그리고 생산직 근로자가 사무직 근로자에 비해 높았다(p<0.01). 연령, 교육수준, 음주, 흡연, 체질량지수 및 근무 형태를 보정한 후에도 생산직 근로자가 사무직 근로자에 비해 CEA 측정치가 높게 관찰되었다(p<0.01). 생산직을 세분하여 분석한 결과 도장공이 다른 직종에 비해 CEA가 높았다(p<0.01). 결론: 이상의 결과에서 조선소 생산직 근로자는 다양한 유해인자에 노출되는 업무 특성상 조선소 사무직 근로자에 비해 CEA 분포가 더 높음을 알 수 있었다. 이는 직종의 차이가 혈청 CEA치에 영향을 주는 요인으로 작용할 수 있음을 시사해주었으며, 혈청 CEA 값이 환경성 유해인자 노출 지표로서의 의미가 있음을 보여주었다. 또한 특히 CEA치가 높았던 조선소 도장공에 대한 추가 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

Keywords

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