title: Study of employees with anhydride-induced respiratory disease after removal from exposure.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and immunologic status of hexahydrophthalic anhydride (HHPA)-exposed employees who had developed an immunologic respiratory disease and who have been removed from exposure for at least 1 year. In a surveillance study spanning 4 years, we identified 28 employees with HHPA-induced immunologic respiratory disease who had been removed from exposure for at least 1 year. Seven had asthma, nine had hemorrhagic rhinitis, four had both, and eight had allergic rhinitis alone. Respiratory symptoms were assessed by physician-administered questionnaires. For each employee, a physical examination, spirometry, and chest roentgenograph were performed. Antibody against HHPA conjugated to human serum albumin (HHP-HSA) was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Symptoms, signs, and spirometry normalized in all but one employee. There were no chest-roentgenograph findings at follow-up that could be attributed to HHPA. There was a decline in antibody liter for both immunoglobulin E and G against HHP-HSA. In this group of 28 employees, there was only one employee with mild asthma after removal from exposure for at least I year. Although specific antibody was still present in many, the titers were generally lower at follow-up than at presentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shaughnessy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004853:Epoxy Resins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides; C005752:araldite; D007073:Immunoglobulin E