Respiratorni simptomi u radnica na preradi riba na obali Jadrana u Hrvatskoj

This article describes respiratory symptoms and lung function in 98 fish processing female workers employed in a fish processing plant located on the Croatian Adriatic coast and 95 matching controls. The study included chronic and acute respiratory symptoms which developed during the shifts. Lung function measurements included forced vital capacity (FVC), one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and maximal expiratory rates at 50 % and the last 25 % (FEF50, FEF25). Chronic respiratory symptoms were significantly dominant in fish processing workers compared to controls. The most common chronic symptoms were hoarseness (57.1 %), nasal catarrh (51.0 %), chronic cough (42.9 %), chronic phlegm (34.7 %), and frequent chest cold (35.7 %). Exposed smokers and nonsmokers had a similar prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms. Acute symptoms over the work shift were high, with headache in lead (smokers: 62.5 %; nonsmokers: 56.1 %). Most of the ventilatory capacity parameters were significantly lower than predicted, FEF25 in particular, indicating obstructive changes predominantly in the smaller airways. These findings suggest that fish processing workers are prone to developing acute and chronic respiratory symptoms as well as to lung function changes. This calls for medical and technical preventive measures to be introduced in the work environment of the fi sh processing plant.Cilj je ovoga istraživanja bio ispitati respiratorne simptome i plućnu funkciju radnica zaposlenih na preradi riba u industriji na obali Jadranskog mora u Hrvatskoj. U istraživanje je uključeno 98 radnica zaposlenih na preradi riba i 95 žena neizložene kontrolne skupine. Ispitivani su kronični i akutni respiratorni simptomi koji se razvijaju tijekom radne smjene. Mjerena je plućna funkcija registriranjem forsiranoga vitalnog kapaciteta (FVC), forsiranoga ekspiracijskog volumena u prvoj sekundi (FEV1) te maksimalnoga ekspiracijskog protoka pri 50 % i zadnjih 25 % forsiranoga vitalnog kapaciteta (FEF50, FEF25) na krivulji maksimalni ekspiracijski protok-volumen (MEPV). Učestalost većine kroničnih respiracijskih simptoma bila je značajno viša u eksponiranih u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. U eksponiranih radnica utvrđena je i visoka prevalencija akutnih simptoma koji se razvijaju tijekom radne smjene, posebno za promuklost (57,1 %) i katar nosa (51 %), potom slijedi kronični kašalj (42,9 %), kronični iskašljaj (34,7 %), upale sinusa (32 %) i česte prehlade (35,7 %). S obzirom na naviku pušenja pušači i nepušači imali su sličnu prevalenciju kroničnih respiratornih simptoma. Izložene radnice imale su visoku prevalenciju akutnih simptoma tijekom radne smjene i to naročito za glavobolju (pušači 62,5 %; nepušači 56,1 %). Ventilacijska funkcija pluća bila je značajno smanjena u usporedbi s predviđenim normalnim vrijednostima posebice za FEF25 % upućujući na opstruktivne promjene pretežno u manjim dišnim putovima. Naši podaci upućuju na opasnost razvoja kroničnih i akutnih respiracijskih simptoma i promjena plućne funkcije u radnika koji rade u industriji na preradi riba. Medicinske i tehničke preventivne mjere u radnom okolišu treba preporučiti u industriji prerade riba

The relation between paracetamol use and asthma:a GA2LEN European case-control study

Studies from the UK and USA suggest that frequent use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) may increase the risk of asthma, but data across Europe are lacking. As part of a multicentric case-control study organised by the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA(2)LEN), it was examined whether or not frequent paracetamol use is associated with adult asthma across Europe. The network compared 521 cases with a diagnosis of asthma and reporting of asthma symptoms within the last 12 months with 507 controls with no diagnosis of asthma and no asthmatic symptoms within the last 12 months across 12 European centres. All cases and controls were selected from the same population, defined by age (2045 yrs) and place of residence. In a random effects meta-analysis, weekly use of paracetamol, compared with less frequent use, was strongly positively associated with asthma after controlling for confounders. There was no evidence for heterogeneity across centres. No association was seen between use of other analgesics and asthma. These data add to the increasing and consistent epidemiological evidence implicating frequent paracetamol use in asthma in diverse populations

Gender and respiratory findings in workers occupationally exposed to organic aerosols: A meta analysis of 12 cross-sectional studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gender related differences in respiratory disease have been documented. The aim of this study was to investigate gender related differences in respiratory findings by occupation. We analyzed data from 12 of our previously published studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three thousand and eleven (3011) workers employed in "organic dust" industries (1379 female and 1632 male) were studied. A control group of 806 workers not exposed to any kind of dust were also investigated (male = 419, female = 387). Acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function were measured. The weighted average method and the Mantel-Haentszel method were used to calculate the odds ratios of symptoms. Hedge's unbiased estimations were used to measure lung function differences between men and women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were high prevalences of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms in all the "dusty" studied groups compared to controls. Significantly less chronic cough, chronic phlegm as well as chronic bronchitis were found among women than among men after the adjustments for smoking, age and duration of employment. Upper respiratory tract symptoms by contrast were more frequent in women than in men in these groups. Significant gender related lung function differences occurred in the textile industry but not in the food processing industry or among farmers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that in industries processing organic compounds there are gender differences in respiratory symptoms and lung function in exposed workers. Whether these findings represent true physiologic gender differences, gender specific workplace exposures or other undefined gender variables not defined in this study cannot be determined. These data do not suggest that special limitations for women are warranted for respiratory health reasons in these industries, but the issue of upper respiratory irritation and disease warrants further study.</p

Rehabilitation und return to work : eine internationale Perspektive aus Deutschland, Osterreich und der Schweiz

Aim: The working age of European employees is rising. This significantly increases the risk of developing a health problem during active working years and occupational rehabilitation is becoming increasingly important. Current developments in the field are characterised by cost pressure, staff shortages and an increasing number of new demands in a changing labour market (e.g. Work 4.0, new forms of work and employment contracts, e.g. as a result of processes of digitalisation and globalisation). The aim of this study is to analyse similarities and differences across the rehabilitation processes for people of working age in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Method: The rehabilitation systems were characterised in terms of their processes and legal frameworks based on the experiences of the authors, a selective literature research in PubMED and Google Scholar. A subsequent indicator-based analysis enabled the quantitative comparability of relevant criteria and country-specific recommendations were derived accordingly

Occupational exposure to ultrafine particles in police officers: no evidence for adverse respiratory effects

Background Inhalation exposure to fine and ultrafine particles (UFPs) has been associated with respiratory diseases. However, little is known on the quality, threshold levels and concentration of these particles causing adverse health effects. Methods The impact of occupational exposure to submicrometer and UFPs was assessed in 30 healthy police shooting instructors by clinical investigation, self-assessment questionnaire, sputum and spirometry and compared to a control group. General laboratory chemistry parameters, circulating cytokines (interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, interferon-gamma [IFN-]), and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in serum were measured. UFP exposure was recorded by Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer. Results Concentrations of submicrometer sized airborne particles (< 700 nm) measured between 3.34 105/cm3 and 7.58 105/cm3 at shooting sites, with highest concentrations found in the UFP range (< 100 nm). The size of the monodispersed particles ranged from 54.74 16.25 nm to 98.19 22.83 nm. Short term exposure (4 h) to high levels of UFPs caused an increase of IFN- in exposed subjects (p = 0.022). 24 h after exposure a significant decrease of IgG, albumin fibrinogen and factor VII was found. Neither directly after 4 h of high levels UFPs exposure nor 24 h after exposure subjective complaints or objective measurements indicating adverse respiratory effects in exposed subjects were found. Conclusions No consistent indications for adverse respiratory or inflammatory effects directly following exposure and 24 h after exposure to high levels of UFPs in our study group were detected. However we showed the assessment of short-term exposure effects at a genuine occupational setting, which might is relevant when a risk assessment of high level occupational exposures to UFPs is considered.(VLID)468197