title: Diurnal variation in peak expiratory flow rate among polyvinylchloride compounding workers.
abstract: The diurnal variation in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was studied in 24 mixers and 24 non-mixers in three polyvinylchloride (PVC) compounding plants and 24 non-PVC controls from a marine police workshop. The three groups (all men) were matched for age, race, and smoking. The mean respirable dust concentration (essentially PVC dust) was 1.6 mg/m3 for mixers and 0.4 mg/m3 for nonmixers. The mean diurnal variation in PEFR of the mixers was 6.5%. This was significantly higher than the 4.8% for non-mixers and 4.3% for the non-PVC controls. Six mixers had a diurnal variation of more than 15% on at least one day compared with none among the other two groups. Twenty nine per cent of mixers complained of wheezing compared with 4% of non-mixers and none among non-PVC workers. These differences were significant. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) for the mixers was 10% below the predicted values whereas that of non-PVC workers was 2% below predicted values. The study indicates a significant acute airway constriction from occupational exposure to PVC dust.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Health, Ministry of Labour, Singapore.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Phoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride