OBJECTIVES: To obtain basic data on blood lead level and urinary level of arsenic and cadmium of children living near a petrochemical estate and a suburban area in Ulsan, Korea and to observe the trend of the changes in the level of these metals in these children. METHODS: The study subjects comprised 626 children living near a petrochemical estate and 299 children living in a suburban area of Ulsan. We analyzed the level of lead, arsenic and cadmium using atomic absorption spectrometer. RESULTS: The mean levels of blood lead in children living near the petrochemical estate were 5.25 microgram/dl, 5.24 microgram/dl, and 7.24 microgram/dl in the years 1997, 1999, and 2000, respectively, whereas those of children living in the suburban area were 3.81 microgram/dl, 4.75 microgram/dl, and 7.19 microgram/dl respectively. The mean levels of urinary arsenic in children living near the petrochemical estate were 4.57 microgram/g creatinine, 4.78 microgram/g creatinine, and 6.02 microgram /g creatinine in the year 1997, 1999, and 2000 respectively, whereas those of children living in suburban area were 2.35 microgram/g creatinine, 4.75 microgram/g creatinine, and 7.07 microgram/g creatinine, respectively. The mean levels of urinary cadmium in children living near the petrochemical estate were 1.15 microgram/g creatinine, 1.05 microgram/g creatinine, and 1.71 microgram/g creatinine in the year 1997, 1999, and 2000, respectively, whereas those of the children living in the suburban area were 0.74 microgram/g creatinine, 1.29 microgram/g creatinine, and 1.48 microgram/g creatinine, respectively. There were increasing trends in the level of blood lead, urinary arsenic and cadmium of children in Ulsan, and the differences in the level of these metals were disappearing between the children living in other areas year by year. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the amount of exposure to lead, arsenic, and cadmium is increasing from year to year, and there is a need for periodic biological and atmospheric monitoring of these metals in Ulsan.
Absorption ; Arsenic* ; Cadmium* ; Child* ; Creatinine ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Korea ; Metals ; Ulsan*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of low-level exposure of air pollutants on the respiratory tract of the children living near the petrochemical estate in Ulsan. METHODS: The study design was cross-sectional, and the study subjects consisted of 150 children(76 boys, 74 girls) living near the petrochemical estate and 100 children(53 boys, 47 girls) living in a suburban area. We investigated respiratory health using self-administered questionnaires(ATS-DLD-78), radiological examination, and pulmonary function test such as FVC and FEV1. RESULTS: There were higher prevalence rates of respiratory symptoms in the children living near the petrochemical estate than the children living in a suburban area. And the results of FVC and FEV1 of 11-years old children living near the petrochemical estate were lower than those of the children living in a suburban area. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic exposure of low-level air pollutants would affect respiratory health of the children. Therefore, further a longitudinal study of respiratory health will be needed for children living near the petrochemical estate in Ulsan.
Air Pollutants ; Child* ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory System ; Ulsan*

Menetrier's disease is a rare protein-losing gastropathy characterized by hypertrophic gastric fold, foveolar hyperplasia, and hypoproteinemia with resulting peripheral edema. It is clinically evident as nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea, and edema. Pediatric Menetrier's disease usually has an insidious onset and progressive, chronic clinical course and it spontaneously resolves in weeks or months. The pathogenesis of Menetrier's disease is not clearly understood. Menetrier's disease is thought to be associated with some gastric infections. But the cause of Menetrier's disease is unknown, an association with cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Helicobacter pylori has been suggested. In Korea, We present the first a case of pediatric Menetrier's disease with positive evidence of CMV and H. pylori.
Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Coinfection ; Cytomegalovirus ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypoproteinemia ; Korea ; Nausea ; Vomiting ; Weight Loss

Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution.

Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution.

Cooking oil fumes (COFs) from cooking with hot oil may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Since 2021, occupational lung cancer for individual cafeteria workers has been recognized in South Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify the distribution of lung-imaging reporting and data system (Lung-RADS) among cafeteria workers and to determine factors related to Lung-RADS distribution.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the ototoxicity by mixed organic solvents on workers'hearing using the upper limit of hearing(ULH). METHODS: Seven hundred ninety-seven male workers in the ship building industry who were evaluated by interview with an upper limit of hearing from August 2000 to July 2002 were enrolled in the study. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to exposure profile and job: officers, field supporters, and painters. To assess the ototoxicity of mixed organic solvent exposure on hearing, with regard to confounders, the general liner model was used. RESULTS: After controlling for the possible confounders, such as age, career, noise exposure level, tinnitus, alcohol intake, and smoking, the estimated mean for ULH of the painter group was higher than that of the officer and the field supporter groups. These differences of mean ULH were at the borderline of statistically significance(p=0.069). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that a relatively lower level of mixed organic solvent chronically affected the hearing organ or auditory pathway. ULH seems to be a useful method for early detection of the ototoxicity of organic solvents.
Auditory Pathways ; Construction Industry ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Male ; Noise ; Ships ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Solvents* ; Tinnitus

OBJECTIVES: The cold provocation test for diagnosing the vascular component in hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is likely to be accepted as an objective test, and a few studies have been performed. However, controversy has continued regarding the diagnostic performance of this method. Although objective methods such as plethysmography and laser doppler flowmetry have been studied, they have not received as much attention as other diagnostic methods. Therefore, our study aim was to spread the awareness of HAVS by reporting the results of the cold provocation test in a hand-transmitted vibration exposure group. METHODS: The study subjects were 549 workers who had been exposed to hand-transmitted vibrations and reported symptoms in their hands. While the subject immersed both their hands in 10degrees C water for 10 minutes, the skin temperature of 10 fingers was recorded from pre-immersion time to 20 minute postimmersion including 10 minutes immersion time. The recovery rates were calculated from the recorded skin temperatures. The 'decreased recovery rate' criteria were less than 30% at 5 minutes post-immersion and 60% at 10 minute post-immersion. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 69.1% and 30.9% had more severe symptoms in the right and left hands, respectively. The mean finger skin temperature of the right hand after cold-water immersion for 10 minutes was approximately 10degrees C, which increased gradually with time, but they did not reach the baseline temperature at 20 minutes post-immersion. The deviations of the skin temperature in the subjects were higher in the recovery phase than in the baseline and cold immersion phase. The 3rd finger of both hands showed the lowest 5-minute recovery rate among the fingers examined, and the left 4th finger and right 3rd finger showed the lowest 10-minute recovery rate. Of the subjects, 37.6% and 10.4% of subjects showed a lower recovery rate at 5 and 10 minutes in at least one finger, respectively, while 10.2% showed a lower recovery rate at both 5 and 10 minutes simultaneously in at least one finger. CONCLUSIONS: The larger deviations in the recovery phase than in the other phases indicated that interindividual differences are more prominent in the recovery phase. There might be no benefit in observing the finger skin temperature for an additional 10 minutes after 10 minutes post-immersion. Overall, approximately 10% of the subjects in the HAVS risk group had HAVS.
Cold Temperature ; Fingers ; Hand ; Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome ; Immersion ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Plethysmography ; Skin Temperature ; Vibration ; Water

The rapid aging trend in South Korea will cause a growing shortage of labor and decreasing quality of the labor force. The purpose of this commentary is to recommend a health care strategy to maintain and promote the work ability of employees in an aging Korea. Strategies to promote the work ability require the collaboration of governmental agencies at the central and local levels. First, the common goal should be the reinforcement of follow-up measure in general medical examinations and the promotion of healthy lifestyles for workers. Second, collaborating activities should be performed among the Worker’s Health Center, the Health Promotion Center, and community health centers. In conclusion, health care strategies for ensuring the work ability in an aging Korea require the collaboration of governmental agencies at the central and local levels.
Aging* ; Community Health Centers ; Cooperative Behavior ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Employment ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Korea* ; Life Style

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of smoking on hearing loss among workers exposed to occupational noise. METHODS: From the results of a special workers health examination performed in 2011, we enrolled 8,543 subjects exposed to occupational noise and reviewed the findings. Using self-reported questionnaires and health examination results, we collected data on age, smoking status, disease status, height, weight, and biochemistry and pure tone audiometry findings. We divided the workers into 3 groups according to smoking status (non-smoker, ex-smoker, current smoker). Current smokers (n = 3,593) were divided into 4 groups according to smoking amount (0.05-9.9, 10-19.9, 20-29.9, > or =30 pack-years). We analyzed the data to compare hearing thresholds between smoking statuses using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) after controlling for confounder effects. RESULTS: According to ANCOVA, the hearing thresholds of current smokers at 2 k, 3 k, and 4 kHz were significantly higher than that of the other groups. Multiple logistic regression for smoking status (reference: non-smokers) showed that the adjusted odds ratios of current smokers were 1.291 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.055-1.580), 1.180 (95% CI: 1.007-1.383), 1.295 (95% CI: 1.125-1.491), and 1.321 (95% CI: 1.157-1.507) at 1 k, 2 k, 3 k, and 4 kHz, respectively. Based on smoking amount, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.562 (95% CI: 1.013-2.408) and 1.643 (95% CI: 1.023-2.640) for the 10-19.9 and > or =30 pack-years group, respectively, at 1 kHz (reference: 0.05-9.9 pack-years). At 2 kHz, the adjusted odds ratios were increased statistically significantly with smoking amount for all groups. At all frequencies tested, the hearing thresholds of noise-exposed workers were significantly influenced by current smoking, in particular, the increase of hearing loss at low frequencies according to smoking amount was more prevalent. CONCLUSIONS: Current smoking significantly influenced hearing loss at all frequencies in workers exposed to occupational noise, and heavier smoking influenced low-frequency hearing loss more greatly. There was a dose-response relationship between smoking amount and low-frequency hearing thresholds; however, this was not observed for high-frequency hearing thresholds. Therefore, well-designed prospective studies are needed to clarify the effects of smoking on the degree of hearing loss.
Audiometry ; Biochemistry ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Logistic Models ; Noise, Occupational* ; Odds Ratio ; Smoke ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products* ; Surveys and Questionnaires