Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Chronic kidney disease in Central America suggests that agricultural work is potentially harmful to the kidneys. We investigated the cumulative incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) over one work shift among agricultural workers in California. METHODS: Serum creatinine was measured both before and after a work shift to estimate AKI. Associations of incident AKI with traditional and occupational risk factors were tested using Chi-square and trend tests and logistic regression. RESULTS: In 295 agricultural workers, AKI after a summer work shift was detected in 35 participants (11.8%). Piece-rate work was associated with 4.52 adjusted odds of AKI (95% confidence interval 1.61 to 12.70). CONCLUSION: The cumulative incidence of AKI after a single day of summer agricultural work is alarming due to an increased risk of long-term kidney damage and mortality.