Human & experimental toxicology
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Welders' lung disease refers to mixed exposure to different kinds of metals and chemicals from welding fumes, which affect all parts of the respiratory tract including airways and parenchyma together. This study aimed to investigate the oxidative status in patients with welders' lung (PWL) by means of thiol-disulfide homeostasis and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels. The male welder workers diagnosed with welders' lung disease and healthy individuals were recruited in the study. ⋯ IMA levels in PWL were significantly higher than the control group (1.37 (0.27) mg dL-1 vs. 0.49 (0.61) mg dL-1, p < 0.001), whereas CAT activities were significantly higher in the control group (106.6 (54.5) kU L-1 vs. 78.3 (67.8) kU L-1, p = 0.003). The findings of the present study revealed that oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of welders' lung disease. Plasma thiol-disulfide homeostasis and IMA levels might be indicators of oxidative stress in PWL.