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Kidney Week

ASN / Education & Meetings / Kidney Week /
Abstract: TH-PO1232

Occupational Heat, Air Pollution, Physiological Heat Strain, and Kidney and Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Guatemalan Sugarcane Workers

Session Information

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2201 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

Authors

  • Young, Bonnie Nadyne, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
  • Krisher, Lyndsay, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Adgate, John L., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Brindley, Stephen, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Butler-Dawson, Jaime, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Calvimontes Barrientos, Laura Danielle, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Dally, Miranda, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • James, Katherine A., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Josey, Kevin, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Schaeffer, Joshua, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
  • Newman, Lee S., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States
Background

Concurrent occupational heat and air pollution exposures can promote systemic inflammation and may contribute to renal dysfunction among agricultural workers. We evaluated associations of ambient heat, particulate matter pollution <5 microns (PM5), and physiological heat strain with inflammatory and kidney biomarkers among male Guatemalan sugarcane field workers. We also explored heat shock protein-70 (HSP70) and anti-HSP70 antibodies (AB-HSP70) as potential mediators.

Methods

This longitudinal study included 148 workers followed across two 6-month harvest seasons with pre- and post-work shift biomarker measurements. Outcomes included post-shift IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, HSP70, AB-HSP70, and eGFR (combined creatinine and cystatin C). Exposures were maximum ambient heat index (°C) calculated from ambient heat and relative humidity, personal PM5 exposure (µg/m3), and maximum core body temperature (°C) (subset n=93). Linear mixed-effects models with participant random intercepts estimated exposure-biomarker associations, adjusted for pre-shift biomarker levels and relevant covariates. Monte Carlo analyses evaluated HSP70 and AB-HSP70 mediation.

Results

Higher maximum core body temperature was the key exposure associated with lower post-shift eGFR (β=−7.03 mL/min/1.73m2 per °C; 95% CI: −11.99, −2.07; Figure 1) and higher (ln)HSP70 (β=0.32 per °C; 95% CI: 0.006, 0.63). Ambient heat also showed associations with lower eGFR, and higher IL-1β and TNF-α. Personal PM5 showed no meaningful impact on biomarkers. Neither HSP70 nor AB-HSP70 mediated associations.

Conclusion

Physiological heat strain showed the clearest associations with cellular heat stress and renal dysfunction. Monte Carlo mediation analyses provided no evidence that HSP70 or AB-HSP70 mediated exposure-biomarker associations. These findings add to the growing body of evidence of occupational heat exposure and physiological heat strain's effects on acute kidney and inflammatory responses among sugarcane workers.

Acknowledgment

We gratefully acknowledge the time and efforts of field staff and study participants. This study was supported in part by Grupo Pantaleon. Funding was by the National Institute Of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01ES031585. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

Association between maximum core body temperature and post-shift eGFR. Estimate from an adjusted linear mixed-effects model controlling for pre-shift eGFR and relevant covariates.

Funding

  • Other NIH Support