Original scientific paper
Immunological reactions and ventilatory capacity in hemp workers
E. Žuškin
; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
B. Kanceljak
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
J. Mustajbegović
; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb
J. Godnić-Cvar
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
M. Tonković-Lojović
; Poslovna zajednica zdravstva grada Zagreb, Zagreb, Hrvatska
A. Budak
; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The relationship between immunological status and respiratory function was studied in 42 hemp workers and in 49 control workers. The highest prevalence of positive skin tests was recorded for a mixture of hemp and flax (64%), followed by flax (48%), hemp on a combing machine (41%), hemp on a carding machine (38% ), hemp on spinnin~ and weaving machines (33% ), and hemp on a softening machine (20%). The prevalence of positive skin tests in control workers was smaller and varied from 21 to 5%. Increased lgE was found in 35.7% of the hemp workers and in 5.0% of the controls (P<0.05). Hemp workers with positive skin tests had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms than those with negative skin tests. Acute ventilatory capacity reductions did not differ in respect to the immunological status. An extract of hemp dust caused a constriction of an isolated guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle in vitro. Our data suggest that hemp dust as well as producing an immunological effect may exert an irritant effect on the respiratory system in exposed textile workers.
Keywords
immunological test; experiments in vitro; hemp dust; occupational exposure; respiratory symptoms; textile workers; ventilatory capacity
Hrčak ID:
147827
URI
Publication date:
9.6.1992.
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