International archives of occupational and environmental health
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Jun 2004
Comparative StudyAsthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: differences between workers with and without sick leave.
Determinants of sick leave should be investigated before interventions to reduce sick leave can be designed. This cross-sectional study compares employees with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with and without sick leave. ⋯ Severity of the disease, as measured by lung function, is not a determinant of sick leave in asthma and COPD. Different processes play a role in asthma and COPD. Interventions for reducing sick leave should aim more at psychosocial factors than at treating the severity of the disease.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Jan 2004
Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effects of two kinds of mask (with or without exhaust valve) on clothing microclimates inside the mask in participants wearing protective clothing for spraying pesticides.
The study aimed at discovering the effects of wearing two types of protective mask on the clothing microclimate (temperature, humidity) inside the mask, physiological parameters and subjective sensations. ⋯ We discussed these findings from the viewpoint that the dry and wet heat loss was accelerated through the nose under the influence of a reduced level of clothing microclimate inside mask B, having probably helped selective brain cooling by cooling more effectively the vein circulating blood through the nose.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Mar 2003
Proposal for single and mixture biological exposure limits for sevoflurane and nitrous oxide at low occupational exposure levels.
Assessment of individual exposures to sevoflurane plus nitrous oxide (N(2)O) by biological monitoring of unmodified analytes in post-shift urine of exposed personnel. ⋯ Median (range) post-shift urinary and environmental values were 1.2 microg/l(urine) (0.1-5.0) and 0.4 ppm (0.05-3.0) for sevoflurane ( n=107) and 10.9 microg/l(urine) (0.5-74.9) and 8.6 ppm (0.2-123.4) for N(2)O ( n=121) (all low-exposure range). At log-log regression, urinary levels closely correlated with environmental data (sevoflurane, r(2)=0.7538; N(2)O, r(2)=0.8749). Biological equivalent limits (BELs) based on National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) TWA exposure limits, calculated as means of regression slope and y-intercept, were 3.6 microg/l(urine) for sevoflurane (corresponding to 2 ppm) and 22.3 microg/l(urine) for N(2)O (corresponding to 25 ppm). Individual "mixture BELs", which we calculated by applying the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) mix formula to biomarker values and using the obtained NIOSH-based BELs as a reference, closely correlated with mixture TLVs (rho=0.816, Lin's concordance test). CONCLUSIONS. We propose urinary sevoflurane as a new, specific, internal dose biomarker for routine biological monitoring of personal exposures among operating-theatre personnel, and use of reliable "mixture BELs" to provide safer levels of internal exposure for workers exposed to mixtures of sevoflurane and N(2)O, and conceivably also to other mixtures of toxicants with possible additive effects.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Jun 2002
Comparative StudyAssociation between exhaled nitric oxide, ambient air pollution and respiratory health in school children.
The aim of the study was to investigate whether the level of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) provides a more sensitive measure to assess adverse pulmonary effects of air pollution than conventional lung function indices. ⋯ Though clinically very meaningful, functional pulmonary measures appear to be too course to detect relatively mild clinical symptoms in response to exposure to air pollution. In an epidemiological setting the increase in eNO may represent a more suitable measure to assess such adverse effects.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Jan 2002
ReviewNeurological diagnosis--aspects of quantitative sensory testing methodology in relation to hand-arm vibration syndrome.
The objectives are to summarise the fundamental neurophysiological base for quantitative sensory testing (QST), and to discuss associated methodological and practical aspects necessary to consider with respect to applicability and reliability as a screening or diagnostic aid for vibration-induced sensory neuropathy. ⋯ QST is in general easy to perform, usually not associated with pain (except thermal pain), suitable for screening and can readily be conducted in the field. QST is, however, known to be susceptible to the effects of multiple covariates and test methodologies. It is thus important that the relative influence on test results from all significant covariates are identified, and to standardise test methodology accordingly before QST can become a reliable and useful tool for diagnostic and screening purposes in the field of vibration-induced sensory neuropathy. The sensitivity, specificity and reliability of different methods for QST for this type of disorder is still very much unknown. Lack of normative values, standardisation of methods and of a "gold standard" for the presence of sensory neuropathy are some reasons.