Latar Belakang. Lebih dari 750 bahan kimia dan beberapa kelompok senyawa kimia termasuk pelarut organik diduga bersifat neurotoksik. Namun pada umumnya bahan kimia tersebut belum pernah dilakukan tes untuk menilai efek neurotoksik yang ditimbulkan. Pelarut organik seperti MEK digunakan secara luas pada industri alas kaki yang pada umumnya bersifat padat karya, sehingga jumlah pekerja yang terpajan juga sangat besar. Pelarut organik dapat mengakibatkan ensefaloti toksik kronik pada pekerja yang terpajan berlebihan. Oleh karena keluhan subyektif mungkin mengindikasikan suatu ensefalopati maka deteksi dini sangatlah penting. Kuesioner Swedish Q16 adalah kuesioner deteksi dini yang paling sering digunakan untuk skrining pekerja yang terpajan pelarut organik. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui prevalensi gejala dini neurotoksik akibat terpajan pelarut organik metil etil keton, serta pengaruh faktor umur, jenis kelamin, pendidikan , masa kerja, status gizi, pemakaian APD, kebiasaan minum alkohol, minum kopi, merokok, kadar pajanan tempat kerja, serta hasil pemantauan biologis terhadap timbutnya gejala dini neurotoksik.Metode. Penelitian ini menggunakan disain penelitian cross-sectional dengan jumlah subyek penelitian 123 orang pekerja pada sebuah kelompok perusahaan sepatu. Pengukuran pajanan dilakukan dengan personal sampling dan pemantauan biologis. Pengumpulan data dilakukan pada bulan Desember 2003 sampai Januari 2004. Hasilnya diolah menggunakan program statistik SPSS 11,5.Hasil dan Kesimpulan. Prevalensi gejala dini neurotoksik pada pekerja yang terpapar pelarut organik metil etil keton sebesar 52%, jika prevalensi didasarkan alas kadar pajanan MEK lingkungan kerja, maka pekerja yang terpajan tinggi prevalensinya sebesar 72,1%, sedangkan yang terpajan rendah 41,3%. Secara statistik yang menunjukkan hubungan bermakna dengan timbulnya gejala dini neurotoksik adalah kadar MEK lingkungan kerja (OR 3,68; p 0,001; 95% CI 1,65 - 8,20), basil pemantauan biologik pads urine (OR 4,17; p 0,000; 95% CI 1,87 - 9,29) dan faktor umur (OR 4,07; p 0,001; 95% CI 1,78 - 9,30).

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The Correlation Between Metil Etil Keton Exposure And Early Symptoms Of Neurotoxicity Among Footwear Factory Workers (Based On Swedish Q16 Questionnaire)Back Ground. More than 750 chemicals and several classes of chemical compound including organic solvent are suspected to be neurotoxic, but majority of chemicals are never been tested for neurotoxic properties. Organic solvent such as MEK are widely use in footwear industry. Footwear manufacturing is a labour intensive industry, as a result large group of workers are exposed. Organic solvent can cause a chronic toxic encephalopathy in overexposed workers. Because subjective complaint may indicate an encephalopathy, early recognition is important. Swedish Q16 questionnaire is the most commonly used for screening workers who are exposed to organic solvent . The aim of the study was to examine the effect of exposure to MEK on the prevalence of complaints. Further objective were to analyse the influences of sex, education, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, caffeinated beverage, nutriotional status, PPE, length of service, MEK concentration, and Bio-monitoring result.

Method. In a cross sectional study, 123 workers with occupational exposure to MEK were interviewed by means of Swedish Q16 questionnaire. Exposure estimation was made by personal sampling and biological monitoring. Data collecting was conducted from December 2003 to January 2004. The statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 11,5 statistical software.

Result and conclusions. Prevalence of workers with early symptoms of neurotoxicity was 52%. Age (OR 4,07; p 0,001; 95% CI 1,78 - 9,30), Exposure level of MEK (OR 3,68; p 0,001; 95% CI 1,65 - 8,20), and result of biomonitoring (OR 4,17; p 0,000; 95% CI 1,87 - 9,29) showed statistical significant influence on the early symptoms of neurotoxicity.