Jet Fuel Effects on Hepatic and Renal Health

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the possible hepatic and renal health effects of jet fuels used by the US military. METHODS: A systematic literature review utilizing epidemiologic, animal toxicological, and mechanistic studies was conducted to evaluate hepatic and renal health effects following jet fuel exposure. RESULTS: Epidemiologic evidence for renal and hepatic outcomes was indeterminate, primarily due to the limited number and quality of human studies. Animal toxicological studies provided moderate evidence that jet fuel exposure impacts the renal system, while there was slight evidence for hepatic effects. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that exposure to jet fuels may cause nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in humans. However, uncertainty remains due to the inconsistent direction of effects, the limited number of studies examining specific health outcomes, and the few published human studies available for review.