DETECTION OF INSULIN RESISTANCE AND RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG BISPHENOL A EXPOSED WORKERS.

Introduction: Many previous studies suggested that bisphenol A (BPA) exposurecould trigger insulin resistance (IR) and elevate the risk to develop type 2 diabetesmellitus (T2DM). Aim of work: This research was done to detect IR prevalence andrisk to develop T2DM among non-diabetic BPA exposed workers involved in theplastic industry. Materials and Methods: This work was conducted in a factory formanufacturing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes present in the 10th of Ramadan City,Egypt. The study population involved an exposed group of 44 non-diabetic workersoccupationally-exposed to the plastics manufacturing process and a control group of 46 non-diabetic matching administrative subjects. Full medical and occupationalhistories in addition to clinical examination, were done. Fasting serum samples wereused to measure adiponectin, insulin, lipid profile parameters: Total cholesterol (TC),Triglycerides (TG), Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and High-density lipoproteins(HDL) and BPA levels. Insulin resistance was evaluated using homeostasis modelassessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Results: The study showed a statisticallysignificant increase in the levels of BPA, insulin, TC, TG and LDL, in addition toHOMA-IR indices, and a statistically significant decrease in the levels of adiponectinand HDL among BPA exposed workers compared to the control group. All measuredparameters of IR were significantly correlated with each other, with the BPA levels, andwith the duration of occupational exposure among the exposed workers. Conclusion:  Long-term occupational exposure to BPA in the plastic industry is accompanied by anelevated risk of developing IR and hence T2DM.