A 4-Year Follow-up Cohort Study of the Respiratory Functions in Toner-handling Workers.
10.1016/j.shaw.2014.07.001
- Author:
Nobuaki YANAGI
1
;
Hiroko KITAMURA
;
Mitsuhito MIZUNO
;
Koichi HATA
;
Tetsuro UCHIYAMA
;
Hiroaki KUGA
;
Tetsuhiro MATSUSHITA
;
Shizuka KUROSAKI
;
Masamichi UEHARA
;
Akira OGAMI
;
Toshiaki HIGASHI
Author Information
1. Institute of Industrial and Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan. n-yanagi@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
cohort analysis;
photocopying;
respiratory function test
- MeSH:
Asian Continental Ancestry Group;
Cohort Studies*;
Commerce;
Copying Processes;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Follow-Up Studies*;
Forced Expiratory Volume;
Humans;
Male;
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate;
Respiratory Function Tests;
Vital Capacity
- From:Safety and Health at Work
2014;5(4):222-226
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Focusing on the respiratory function for health effect indices, we conducted a cross-sectional study on workers who did and did not handle toner to compare the longitudinal changes. METHODS: Among 116 individuals who worked for a Japanese business equipment manufacturer and participated in the study, the analysis included 69 male workers who we were able to follow up for 4 years. We categorized the 40 workers engaged in toner-handling work as the exposed group and the 29 workers not engaged in these tasks as the referent group, and compared their respiratory function test results: peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), vital capacity (VC), predicted vital capacity (%VC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second as a percent of forced vital capacity (FEV1%). RESULTS: The cross-sectional study of the respiratory function test results at the baseline and at the 5th year showed no statistically significant differences in PEFR, VC, %VC, FEV1, and FEV1% between the exposed and referent workers. Also, respiratory function time-course for 4 years was calculated and compared between the groups. No statistically significant differences were shown. CONCLUSION: Our study does not suggest any toner exposure effects on respiratory function. However, the number of subjects was small in our study; studies of larger populations will be desired in the future.
