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Title: Airway obstruction in boilermakers exposed to fuel oil ash. A prospective investigation.

Authors: Hauser, R; Elreedy, S; Hoppin, J A; Christiani, D C

Published In Am J Respir Crit Care Med, (1995 Nov)

Abstract: We prospectively investigated the lower airway response in boilermakers overhauling an oil-powered boiler. We studied 26 male boilermakers with a mean age (SD) of 43.3 (8.6) yr. Pre-exposure spirometry and methacholine challenge tests were performed before beginning the boiler overhaul; postexposure tests were performed after approximately 4 wk of work on the boiler. Exposure to particulates with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns and smaller (PM10) and respirable vanadium dust were estimated using daily work diaries and a personal sampling device for respirable particles. Using these estimates, we calculated average and peak exposure between pre- and postexposure tests for each subject. The average PM10 concentration ranged from 1.44 to 6.69 mg/m3, with a mean (SD) of 3.22 (1.42) mg/m3; the average vanadium concentration ranged from 2.2 to 31.3, with a mean (SD) of 12.2 (9.1) micrograms/m3. The mean postexposure fall in FEV1 was 140 +/- 160 ml (p < 0.01); 24 of 26 subjects had a drop in FEV1. For each subject, the adjusted change in FEV1 (delta FEV1.adj) was calculated by dividing the change in FEV1 by the average of the pre- and postexposure FEV1 values. The delta FEV1.adj was regressed, controlling age and current smoking status, on average and peak exposure to both PM10 and vanadium. There was a dose-response relationship between average and peak PM10 exposure and delta FEV1.adj: beta = -0.91% per mg/m3, p = 0.08 and beta = -1.03% per mg/m3, p = 0.03, respectively. However, there was no relationship between delta FEV1.adj and respirable vanadium dust concentration. Furthermore, there was no postexposure change in nonspecific airway responsiveness. In summary, we found a significant fall in FEV1 and a dose-response relationship between delta FEV1.adj and average and peak PM10 exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PubMed ID: 7582280 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational/adverse effects; Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis; Airway Obstruction/chemically induced*; Airway Obstruction/diagnosis; Bronchial Provocation Tests/statistics & numerical data; Comparative Study; Engineering/statistics & numerical data; Fuel Oils/adverse effects*; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Methacholine Chloride/diagnostic use; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases/chemically induced*; Occupational Diseases/diagnosis; Prospective Studies; Questionnaires; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Spirometry/statistics & numerical data; Statistics, Nonparametric; Vanadium Compounds/adverse effects; Vanadium Compounds/analysis

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