Evaluation of Occupational Exposure to Perchlorethylene in a Group of Italian Dry Cleaners Using Noninvasive Exposure Indices

Recent data suggest a general trend in decreased occupational exposure to perchlorethylene (PCE) in the dry-cleaning sector. The aims of this study were to confirm this trend to lower exposure levels in a group of Italian dry cleaners and to evaluate the current occupational PCE exposure in these works using noninvasive biological indices. Environmental exposure was assessed by personal sampling in 60 operators working in 21 dry cleaning shops in North Italy. PCE in the exhaled alveolar air (PCEalv), urinary concentration of PCE and of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) (PCEu and TCAu respectively), were measured as biological exposure indices. Median PCE environmental concentration in the whole sample was 10.6 mg/m3 (i.e., less than the 25% of the levels measured in the same area in a previous study). All values were less than 10% of the occupational limits. PCEu measured in samples collected at the end of the work shift resulted the biological markers having the strongest correlation with environmental PCE (r = 0.81). PCEalv also resulted in a high correlation (r = 0.66), while a lower correlation was found for TCAu measured at the end shift (r = 0.32). According to our results, PCEu can be proposed as a valid, noninvasive, and easily reliable exposure index to evaluate PCE exposure at the low levels currently observed in dry cleaners, therefore representing a promising alternative to invasive blood sample collections needed to determine PCE blood concentration

Perinatal outcomes among immigrant mothers over two periods in a region of central Italy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The number of immigrants has increased in Italy in the last twenty years (7.2% of the Italian population), as have infants of foreign-born parents, but scanty evidence on perinatal outcomes is available. The aim of this study was to investigate whether infants of foreign-born mothers living in Italy have different odds of adverse perinatal outcomes compared to those of native-born mothers, and if such measures changed over two periods.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The source of this area-based study was the regional hospital discharge database that records perinatal information on all births in the Lazio region. We analysed 296,739 singleton births born between 1996-1998 and 2006-2008. The exposure variable was the mother's region of birth. We considered five outcomes of perinatal health. We estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the association between mother's region of birth and perinatal outcomes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Perinatal outcomes were worse among infants of immigrant compared to Italian mothers, especially for sub-Saharan and west Africans, with the following crude ORs (in 1996-1998 and 2006-2008 respectively): 1.80 (95%CI:1.44-2.28) and 1.95 (95%CI:1.72-2.21) for very preterm births, and 1.32 (95%CI:1.16-1.50) and 1.32 (95%CI:1.25-1.39) for preterm births; 1.18 (95%CI:0.99-1.40) and 1.17 (95%CI:1.03-1.34) for a low Apgar score; 1.22 (95%CI:1.15-1.31) and 1.24 (95%CI:1.17-1.32) for the presence of respiratory diseases; 1.47 (95%CI:1.30-1.66) and 1.45 (95%CI:1.34-1.57) for the need for special or intensive neonatal care/in-hospital deaths; and 1.03 (95%CI:0.93-1.15) and 1.07 (95%CI:1.00-1.15) for congenital malformations. Overall, time did not affect the odds of outcomes differently between immigrant and Italian mothers and most outcomes improved over time among all infants. None of the risk factors considered confounded the associations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings suggest that migrant status is a risk factor for adverse perinatal health. Moreover, they suggest that perinatal outcomes improved over time in some immigrant women. This could be due to a general improvement in immigrants' health in the past decade, or it may indicate successful application of policies that increase accessibility to mother-child health services during the periconception and prenatal periods for legal and illegal immigrant women in Italy.</p

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.05, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.39–3.02, p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.42, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.18–0.99, p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity are associated with genetic variants affecting gene expression in a variety of tissues

Variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity between individuals is partly due to genetic factors. Here, we identify 4 genomic loci with suggestive associations for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and 19 for COVID-19 disease severity. Four of these 23 loci likely have an ethnicity-specific component. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals in 11 loci colocalize with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 20 genes in 62 tissues/cell types (range: 1:43 tissues/gene), including lung, brain, heart, muscle, and skin as well as the digestive system and immune system. We perform genetic fine mapping to compute 99% credible SNP sets, which identify 10 GWAS loci that have eight or fewer SNPs in the credible set, including three loci with one single likely causal SNP. Our study suggests that the diverse symptoms and disease severity of COVID-19 observed between individuals is associated with variants across the genome, affecting gene expression levels in a wide variety of tissue types

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

A first update on mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

peer reviewe

Traduzione in lingua italiana e validazione del Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) [Italian translation and validation of the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002)]

Because of their frequent occurrence, in various situations it may be appropriate to carry out screening of skin disorders in groups of workers. For this purpose the self-administered standardized questionnaires are of great use. Among the best known is the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002), which had not yet been translated and validated in Italian.Introduzione: Data la frequente comparsa, in varie situazioni può essere opportuno effettuare degli screening dei disturbi cutanei in gruppi di lavoratori. A questo scopo sono di grande utilità i questionari standardizzati autosomministrati. Tra i più noti è il Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002), non ancora tradotto e validato in italiano. Obiettivi: Scopo del lavoro era la traduzione e validazione in lingua italiana del NOSQ-2002. Metodi: Il testo originale inglese del NOSQ-2002 è stato sottoposto alle procedure previste dall’ISPOR task force per la traduzione e validazione culturale di questionari in ambito sanitario. Successivamente, la versione italiana è stata testata su un campione di 52 persone per valutarne la comprensibilità e l’affidabilità mediante analisi della coerenza interna e stabilità nel tempo, ed il valore predittivo anamnestico attraverso valutazione della sensibilità e specificità in 32 soggetti. Risultati: La versione italiana del NOSQ prodotta si è rivelata ben aderente all’originale con necessità solo di modifiche minori. Dall’intervista sulla comprensibilità del questionario non sono emerse significative difficoltà di comprensione del testo. I risultati della valutazione della coerenza interna (Alfa Cronbach: 0,88 e 0,97) e della stabilità (K di Cohen &gt;0,81 in 52/57 items) indicano che la versione italiana del NOSQ è da considerarsi affidabile per gli scopi che si propone. Ottimi anche i risultati di sensibilità e specificità, pari rispettivamente a 86% ed a 89%. Conclusioni: La versione italiana del NOSQ qui presentata risulta appropriata per l’autosomministrazione, ed affidabile per studi sui disturbi dermatologici in gruppi di lavorator

Traduzione in lingua italiana e validazione del nordic occupational skin questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) Italian translation and validation of the nordic occupational skin questionnaire (NOSQ-2002)]

Introduzione: Data la frequente comparsa, in varie situazioni può essere opportuno effettuare degli screening dei disturbi cutanei in gruppi di lavoratori. A questo scopo sono di grande utilità i questionari standardizzati autosomministrati. Tra i più noti è il Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002), non ancora tradotto e validato in italiano. Obiettivi: Scopo del lavoro era la traduzione e validazione in lingua italiana del NOSQ-2002. Metodi: Il testo originale inglese del NOSQ-2002 è stato sottoposto alle procedure previste dall’ISPOR task force per la traduzione e validazione culturale di questionari in ambito sanitario. Successivamente, la versione italiana è stata testata su un campione di 52 persone per valutarne la comprensibilità e l’affidabilità mediante analisi della coerenza interna e stabilità nel tempo, ed il valore predittivo anamnestico attraverso valutazione della sensibilità e specificità in 32 soggetti. Risultati: La versione italiana del NOSQ prodotta si è rivelata ben aderente all’originale con necessità solo di modifiche minori. Dall’intervista sulla comprensibilità del questionario non sono emerse significative difficoltà di comprensione del testo. I risultati della valutazione della coerenza interna (Alfa Cronbach: 0,88 e 0,97) e della stabilità (K di Cohen &gt;0,81 in 52/57 items) indicano che la versione italiana del NOSQ è da considerarsi affidabile per gli scopi che si propone. Ottimi anche i risultati di sensibilità e specificità, pari rispettivamente a 86% ed a 89%. Conclusioni: La versione italiana del NOSQ qui presentata risulta appropriata per l’autosomministrazione, ed affidabile per studi sui disturbi dermatologici in gruppi di lavorator

Effetti precoci della esposizione a percloroetilene nei lavoratori delle lavanderie a secco sulla funzione visiva

Introduzione: Alcuni studi hanno dimostrato la possibile correlazione tra esposizione a percloroetilene (PCE) negli addetti delle lavanderie a secco ed alterazioni della percezione cromatica. Obiettivi: Abbiamo voluto verificare l’eventuale presenza di alterazioni della funzione visiva in un gruppo di lavoratori esposti ai livelli attuali di PCE. Metodi: Lo studio è stato condotto su 38 lavoratori esposti a PCE in 21 lavanderie del distretto di Modena e 60 controlli scelti in base a criteri di confrontabilità. I lavoratori delle lavanderie sono stati sottoposti a monitoraggio ambientale dell’esposizione a PCE (esposizione media pari a 16,9 mg/m3). Ad entrambi i gruppi sono poi stati somministrati un questionario anamnestico ed il test di Ishihara per valutare i criteri di esclusione e, successivamente, i test di Lanthony D15d e di Acuità Visiva a Contrasto Ridotto (VCS) per valutare alterazioni della funzione visiva. I risultati del test di Lanthony sono stati espressi mediante l’Indice di Confusione Cromatica (ICC). Risultati: Nei casi il valore medio di ICC è 1,28 (DS 0,21) e nei controlli è 1,15 (DS 0,21); la differenza risulta statisticamente significativa (p<0.01). I valori di ICC sono tendenzialmente peggiori negli addetti al solo lavaggio, esposti a livelli di PCE più elevati (esposizione media pari a 26,8 mg/m3). I valori di VCS per ciascuna frequenza non mostrano invece differenze significative tra i due gruppi. Conclusioni: I nostri dati indicano che anche esposizioni occupazionali a PCE ben al di sotto degli attuali valori limite possano essere comunque in grado di indurre alterazioni della percezione cromatica e non sarebbero pertanto adeguatamente protettivi almeno nei confronti di questi effetti

Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde Exposure in &ldquo;Non-Traditional&rdquo; Occupational Sectors: Bakeries and Pastry Producers

Introduction. Formaldehyde, a colorless and highly irritating substance, causes cancer of the nasopharynx and leukemia. Furthermore, it is one of the environmental mutagens to which humans are most abundantly exposed. Acetaldehyde was recently classified as carcinogen class 1B and mutagen class 2 in Annex VI EC regulation. Occupational exposure to the two aldehydes occurs in a wide variety of occupations and industries. The aim of this study is to deepen exposure to the two aldehydes in the non-traditional productive sectors of bakeries and pastry producers. Methods. The evaluation of exposure to formaldehyde and acetaldehyde was conducted in Italy in 2019, in specific tasks and positions of 11 bakeries and pastry producers (115 measures, of which 57.4% were in fixed positions and the rest were personal air sampling). The measurements were performed using Radiello&copy; radial diffusion samplers. A logarithmic transformation of the data was performed, and the correlation between the two substances was calculated. Moreover, linear models considering the log-formaldehyde as the outcome and adjusting for log-acetaldehyde values were used. Results. The study identified high levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde exposure in the monitored workplaces. Higher mean values were observed in the leavening phase (8.39 &micro;g/m3 and 3.39 &micro;g/m3 for log-transformed data acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, respectively). The adjusted univariate analyses show statistically significant factors for formaldehyde as the presence of yeast, the presence of type 1 flour, the use of barley, the use of fats, the type of production, the use of spelt, and the presence of type 0 flour. Conclusions. The measurements confirmed the release of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in bakeries and pastry industries, especially in some phases of the work process, such as leavening