Ácido hipúrico em urina: valores de referência

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference values for hippuric acid (HA) excreted in the urine, and to evaluate the impact of age, gender, alcohol, and tobacco, on these levels in a population nonexposed to toluene. METHODS: Reference values for hippuric acid in urine were determined in 115 toluene nonexposed healthy volunteers, from Alfenas city, Southeastern Brazil. A questionnaire was applied to each volunteer and data on occupational and personal habits were collected. Biochemical and hematological analyses were used to confirm the volunteers' good health condition. Reference values were expressed in g HA/g urine creatinine, as mean ± standard deviation (x ± SD), median, 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 95th percentile, and upper reference value (URV, mean +2 SD). RESULTS: Reference values of hippuric acid in urine were: mean ± standard deviation =0.18±0.10; median =0.15; 95% confidence interval =0.16±0.20; 95th percentile = 0.36 and upper reference value (URV, mean +2 SD) =0.38. Statistically significant differences in urinary HA (Wilcoxon - Mann/Whitney, pOBJETIVO: Estabelecer valores de referência para o ácido hipúrico (AH) em urina e avaliar a influência da idade, sexo, uso de bebidas alcoólicas e de tabaco nestes níveis, numa população não exposta ao tolueno. MÉTODOS: Os valores de referência para o ácido hipúrico em urina foram determinados numa população de 115 voluntários da cidade de Alfenas, MG, saudáveis e não expostos ocupacionalmente ao tolueno. Informações sobre hábitos no trabalho e pessoais, entre outros, foram obtidos por meio de questionário, sendo o estado de saúde avaliado por exames bioquímicos e hematológicos. Os resultados foram expressos em g AH/g creatinina urinária, como valores médios ± desvio-padrão, mediana, intervalo de confiança 95%, percentil 95% e valor superior de referência (média +2 desvios-padrão). RESULTADOS: Os valores de referência de ácido hipúrico urinário foram expressos como: média ± desvio-padrão =0,18±0,10; mediana =0,15; intervalo de confiança 95%=0,16-0,20; percentil 95%=0,36 e valor superior de referência de 0,38. Diferenças estatisticamente significativas (Wilcoxon - Mann/Whitney,

Hippuric acid in urine: reference values

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference values for hippuric acid (HA) excreted in the urine, and to evaluate the impact of age, gender, alcohol, and tobacco, on these levels in a population nonexposed to toluene. METHODS: Reference values for hippuric acid in urine were determined in 115 toluene nonexposed healthy volunteers, from Alfenas city, Southeastern Brazil. A questionnaire was applied to each volunteer and data on occupational and personal habits were collected. Biochemical and hematological analyses were used to confirm the volunteers' good health condition. Reference values were expressed in g HA/g urine creatinine, as mean ± standard deviation (x ± SD), median, 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 95th percentile, and upper reference value (URV, mean +2 SD). RESULTS: Reference values of hippuric acid in urine were: mean ± standard deviation =0.18±0.10; median =0.15; 95% confidence interval =0.16±0.20; 95th percentile = 0.36 and upper reference value (URV, mean +2 SD) =0.38. Statistically significant differences in urinary HA (Wilcoxon - Mann/Whitney, p<0.05) were observed for different genders and age groups. Alcohol ingestion and smoking habit did not significantly affect the results. CONCLUSIONS: The reference values of hippuric acid in urine can be used in biomonitoring programs of workers occupationally exposed to toluene, especially in the southern region of the state of Minas Gerais. Age and gender may affect the HA reference values