Five annual observations of respiratory findings in gun factory workers exposed to solvents.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether long-term, low-level exposures to solvents had adverse longitudinal effects on pulmonary functions.


METHODS
The study was performed on 1091 workers 5 years ago and then on 697 workers 5 years later. Chronic respiratory symptoms were recorded using a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms.


RESULTS
The annual decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second in the workers exposed to solvents was not significantly different from that of the unexposed workers (69.7 +/- 89.9 vs 75.8 +/- 87.6 mL/yr, P = 0.5, respectively). In 453 workers who were exposed to solvents 5 years ago, the prevalence rate of asthma was 1.1%. Five years later, it was 3.6% in 193 workers from the same group. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Longitudinally, the chronic exposure to low doses of solvents does not adversely affect the pulmonary functions, whereas it increases the asthma prevalence.
Saygun
Meral
M
Department of Public Health, Medical Faculty, Kinkkale University, Turkey.
Cakmak
Aytul
A
Ekici
Aydanur
A
Pinar
Tevfik
T
Bulcun
Emel
E
Ulu
Nuriye
N
Ekici
Mehmet
M
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004417:Dyspnea; D005389:Firearms; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012997:Solvents / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012997:Solvents