Short communication, Note
Exposure, lung function and rhizopus antibodies in wood trimmers. A longitudinal study
R. Alexandersson
; Department of Occupational Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract
Sixty-six wood trimmers and local control subjects were examined several times in a 27-month follow-up study. FVC and FEV1 were reduced by an average of 0.4 and 0.3 L, respectively, after a month of no exposure. Repeated measurements three months later, on a Monday before work, showed a further reduction in PVC and FEY1 by an average of 0.21 L in a saw-mill with a high exposure to moulds (5 x 10 4 colony-forming units/m3), but not in another saw-mill with a 10 times lower exposure. Further recordings 27 months later, on a Monday before work, displayed no further reduction in any spirometric variable. No change in lung function was noted after one day of work (Monday), but a further reduction in FVC of an average of 0.3 L was seen in non-smokers at the end of the week, with apparent resolution over the weekend. The impairment was more obvious at the saw-mill with the higher air concentrations of organic dust than at the other saw-mill. It is concluded that wood trimmers may develop a restrictive pulmonary dysfunction, which might be explained by an immunopathological reaction to heavy mould exposure
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
152583
URI
Publication date:
15.6.1989.
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