EFFECT OF OCCUPATIONAL CEMENT DUST EXPOSURE ON RENAL FUNCTION AMONG BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN TIKO, SOUTH WEST REGION CAMEROON

Background: Occupational exposure to cement dust is a major public health concern among building construction workers. Despite increasing evidence from other settings, there is limited information on the effect of cement dust exposure on renal function among construction workers in the Cameroon setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cement dust exposure on renal function among building construction workers in Tiko. Methods: An analytical comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 participants, comprising 45 cement dust-exposed building construction workers and 45 non-exposed controls. Construction workers were recruited consecutively and convenience sampling was employed to select the control group. A structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic and occupational information. Serum urea and creatinine levels were measured using the standard enzymatic colorimetric and Jaffe kinetic methods respectively. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and results presented on tables and charts. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-test, and Spearman's correlation analysis were performed, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean serum creatinine level was higher among exposed workers than controls (1.09 ± 0.27 mg/dL vs. 0.93 ± 0.18 mg/dL) and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.065). Mean serum urea level was significantly higher among the exposed workers (28.67 ± 11.87 mg/dL) compared to controls (19.42 ± 3.92 mg/dL) (p < 0.001). A weak positive marginally statistically significant correlation was observed between duration of cement dust exposure and serum creatinine levels (r = 0.299, p = 0.046). A positive non-statistically significant correlation was observed between duration of cement dust exposure and serum urea levels (r = 0.227, p = 0.134). Conclusion: Occupational exposure to cement dust is associated with increased serum urea levels and a trend toward elevated serum creatinine levels in construction workers. Longer exposure duration correlates positively with increasing serum creatinine levels. Regular renal function monitoring, improved dust control measures and consistent use of personal protective equipment are recommended to minimize occupational health risks.