Airway hyperresponsiveness among workers exposed to isocyanates at Yeocheon petrochemical plant.
- Author:
An Soo JANG
;
Inseon S CHOI
;
Soong LEE
;
Jeong Pyeong SEO
;
Seung Won YANG
;
Jai Dong MOON
;
Kang Jin LEE
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Isocyanate;
airway hyperresponsiveness;
BR index
- MeSH:
Antibodies;
Immunoglobulin E;
Isocyanates*;
Korea;
Methacholine Chloride;
Plants*;
Prevalence;
Skin;
Smoke;
Smoking;
Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate;
Surveys and Questionnaires
- From:Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
1999;19(3):468-475
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of airway hyperresponsiveness induced by isocyanate at one petrochemical industry complex in Yeochon, Korea. METHOD: Questionnaires, allergic skin prick test, toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-specific IgE, and non-specific airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) were studied in 73 exposed workers and 27 control subjects. Methacholine challenge tests were done and bronc hial responsiveness (BR index) was defined as log (% fall of FEV1)/ log (last concentration of methacholine +10). RESULTS: Twenty-three workers (31.5% ) had respiratory symptoms, 21 had nasal symptoms, and eight had skin symptoms. Exposed workers with respiratory symptoms (n=22) had significantly higher BR index than those without them (0.82+/-0.06 vs 0.60+/-0.02, p<0.05). Exposed workers tended to have higher BR index than controls (0.67+/-0.03 vs 0.62+/-0.02). Three exposed workers had PC20 methacholine <2.0 mg/ml. There were no significant differences in atopy score between exposed workers and controls (p>0.05). Specific IgE antibodies were found in 19.7% of exposed workers. FEV, showed a significant negative correlation with BR index (r =-0.25, p<0.05). Poor correlation was noted between BR index and atopy, smoking status, or exposure duration. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that workers exposed to isocyanates are at higher risk of airway hyperresponsiveness.
