Table 1.
Adverse health effects of benzene exposure (n = 90).
| Adverse Symptom | Had Symptom n (%) |
Benzene >50% OEL Total = 3; n (%) |
p-Value | tt-MA > BEI Total = 27; n (%) |
p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low level (n = 54) | |||||
| Headache | 40 (44.4) | 2 (66.7) a | 0.583 | 14 (51.9) b | 0.355 |
| Itchy skin/red rash/blisters | 38 (42.2) | 1 (33.3) | 0.617 | 11 (40.7) | 0.852 |
| Exhaustion/fatigue | 34 (37.8) | 3 (100.0) a | 0.051 | 9 (33.3) | 0.569 |
| Dizziness | 34 (37.8) | 2 (66.7) a | 0.554 | 11 (40.7) | 0.704 |
| Nasal congestion | 21 (23.3) | 2 (66.7) a | 0.135 | 4 (14.8) | 0.281 |
| Sore throat/dry throat | 17 (18.9) | 0 | 5 (18.5) | 0.953 | |
| Red eye/burning eyes/itchy eyes | 15 (16.7) | 1 (33.3) | 0.425 | 2 (7.4) | 0.215 |
| Runny nose | 12 (13.3) | 2 (66.7) a | 0.046 * | 4 (14.8) | 0.747 |
| Suffocation | 11 (12.2) | 1 (33.3) | 0.327 | 7 (25.9) | 0.015 * |
| Cough/hoarseness | 11 (12.2) | 1 (33.3) | 0.327 | 6 (22.2) | 0.058 |
| Dry skin/cracked skin | 8 (8.89) | 1 (33.3) | 0.246 | 2 (7.4) | 1.000 |
| Anorexia | 7 (7.8) | 1 (33.3) | 0.218 | 4 (14.8) | 0.191 |
| Palpitations | 3 (3.3) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 1.000 | |
| Moderate level (n = 33) | |||||
| Chest pain | 13 (14.4) | 1 (33.3) | 0.377 | 5 (18.5) | 0.472 |
| Numbness | 10 (10.1) | 1 (33.3) | 0.098 | 3 (11.1) | 1.000 |
| Scurvy/Epistaxis/Bleeding | 11 (12.2) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 0.163 | |
| Insufficient/abnormal breathing | 9 (10.0) | 1 (33.3) | 0.274 | 5 (18.5) | 0.121 |
| Nausea and vomiting | 8 (8.9) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 0.427 | |
| Blurred vision | 6 (6.7) | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Cramp | 6 (6.7) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 0.664 | |
| Confusion | 3 (3.3) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 1.000 | |
| Muscle weakness | 3 (3.3) | 0 | 2 (7.4) | 0.213 | |
| Burning pain/swelling/wood skin | 2 (2.2) | 0 | 0 | - | |
| Tremor | 2 (2.2) | 0 | 2 (7.4) | 0.088 | |
| Petechia | 1 (1.1) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 0.300 | |
| Depression | 1 (1.1) | 0 | 0 | - | |
| High level (n = 3) | |||||
| Anaemia | 2 (2.2) | 0 | 1 (3.7) | 0.512 | |
| Unconsciousness | 1 (1.1) | 0 | 0 | - |
a indicates that more than 50% of the total workers had been exposed to benzene >50% OEL; b indicates that more than 50% of the total workers had detected tt-MA > BEI; * indicates a significant association of the symptom with >50%OEL exposure by Fisher’s exact test (p ≤ 0.05).