title: BMI-based approach reveals direct impact of metal dust exposure on influenza-associated lung function decrement risk in smelters.
abstract: Metal dust exposure strongly affects human health, especially for smelters. Little is known, however, about the impact of metal dust exposure on influenza-associated lung function decrement risk in smelters. Different body mass index (BMI) groups were also associated with respiratory diseases. The purpose of this study was to use a probabilistic risk assessment approach to explicitly link occupational metal dust exposure, BMI-correlated health effects, and influenza-associated lung function decrements to investigate potential risk among smelters. Here we showed that (i) influenza A-associated metal dust exposure in SiMn/FeMn/FeCr smelters had slightly higher health risks than that in FeSi/Si-metal's, (ii) BMI≥35 had the highest risk in respiratory infection exacerbations, and (iii) the estimated smelting metal dust induced forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV(1)) decreasing rates were 0.59 and 1.11 m(3) mg(-1) for FeSi/Si-metal and SiMn/FeMn/FeCr smelters, respectively. Our results suggested that smelters better be aware of severe weight gains (e.g., BMIs from 27-40) because it is likely to lead to 17-25% decrements in lung function. This study provides a novel probabilistic risk assessment framework to quantitatively assess the occupational health risk posed by metal dust exposure associated with influenza infection based on BMI measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chung-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012825:Silicon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012825:Silicon