title: Analysis of inflammatory markers and metals in nasal lavage fluid of welders.
abstract: Welding fumes may produce adverse health effects in the respiratory tract. To assess the relationship between exposure to welding fumes and inflammation in the upper airways, 190 male welders were examined from the WELDOX study (median age 40 yr, 54.7% smokers, and 32.9% atopics). Inhalable welding fumes were collected in the breathing zone of welders during a single shift. Chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) were measured in the welding-fume samples and in postshift nasal lavage fluid (NALF). In addition, the numbers of particles and inflammatory biomarkers, including total and differential cell counts, interleukin (IL)-8, leukotriene (LT) B4, 8-isoprostane (8-iso-PGF2α), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), and immunoreactive matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, were determined. Metal concentrations in NALF correlated with airborne concentrations. No significant association was found between airborne metal concentrations and biomarkers of inflammation in NALF, whereas increasing metal concentrations in NALF resulted in increased concentrations of total protein, IL-8, MMP-9, and TIMP-1. LTB4and 8-iso PGF2αwere elevated at higher concentrations of Cr or Ni in NALF. The same was true for Fe, although the effects were less pronounced and of borderline significance. In conclusion, our results showed a significant association between the concentrations of metals and soluble inflammatory markers in the NALF of welders. The noninvasive collection of NALF is applicable in field studies, where it may serve as a suitable matrix to simultaneously assess biomarkers of exposure and effect in the upper respiratory tract in workers who are occupationally exposed to airborne hazardous substances.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raulf
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lotz
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehnert
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hoffmeyer
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Liebers
authors.affiliation: b Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IFA) , Sankt Augustin , Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Gelder
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Udo Käfferlein
authors.affiliation: c Technische Universität Berlin, Lebensmittelchemie und Toxikologie , Berlin , Germany.|d Karlsruhe Institut für Technologie, IAB, Lebensmittelchemie und Toxikologie , Karlsruhe , Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pesch
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance , Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA) , Bochum , Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brüning
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D014896:Welding
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D008670:Metals