Pneumoconiosis caused by hard metal dust

Pregledano je 108 radnika eksponiranih prašini tvrdog metala u ekspoziciji većoj od dopuštene. Provjerom funkcionalnih testova ventilacije (FVC, FEV1, PEF, FEF30, FEF25) ni u jednog radnika nismo ustanovili restriktivne smetnje. U 52°/o ispitanika utvrđena je redukcija forsiranog ekspiracijskog protoka pri 25% vitalnog kapaciteta, a u 8% smanjen je bio difuzijski kapacitet za CO. U 43% ispitanika nepušača nađen je smanjen ekspiracijski protok kod 25% vitalnog kapaciteta, dok je isti parametar smanjen kod 58% ispitanika pušača. Rendgenogrami pluća klasificirani su prema ILO klasifikaciji, a u 13,8% utvrđene su intersticijske promjene. Od toga 3 ispitanika kodirana su sa 1/1, a sva 3 su pušači u ekspoziciji dugoj 20 godina. Ostali su imali neznatne promjene kodirane s 1/0 i 0/1. Stoga smatramo da je za rano otkrivanje patoloških promjena u intersticiju radnika u ekspoziciji prašini tvrdih metala važno ispitivanje funkcionalnih testova i difuzijskog kapaciteta za CO, jer ranije otkrivaju opstrukciju u malim dišnim putovima nego rendgenogrami.A group of 108 workers with exposure to hard metal dust exceeding the threshold limit value were medically examined. Lung function tests (FVC, FEV1, PEF, FEF50, FEF25) showed no restrictive changes. In 52% of the workers there was a reduction in forced expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity and tin 8% diffusion capacity for CO was diminished. Expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity was reduced in 43% of non-smokers and ,in 58% of smokers. According to lung X-rays, which were classified according to ILO classification, interstitial changes were found in 13.8% of the workers. Among these three workers had changes classified as 1/1. all of them smokers who had been exposed to hard metal dust for a period of 20 years. In the others slight changes classified as 1/0 and 0/1 were present. It is therefore believed that for early detection of pathological changes in the interstitium in persons exposed to hard metal dust functional tests and diffusion capacity for CO are of major importance as they may serve to determine obstruction on the small airways earlier than X-rays

Hiperreaktivnost bronhija u elektrokeramičkoj industriji

Seventy-four female shift workers employed in the oxide ceramics industry were examined: a group of 38 workers from the press workshop and a group of 36 controls from the mounting workshop from the same factory. The two groups did not differ by age, years of employment, smoking habit or height. Persons with atopic constitution and serious respiratory disease were excluded from the study. Interstitial lung disease was eliminated by X-ray examinations. All subjects underwent a clinical examination and completed a questionnaire. Measurements of ventilatory lung functions demonstrated no difference between the groups; lung function values were normal, (ton-specific airway reactivity was expressed as PC50 Rt i.e. 50% increase in resistance in relation to the value measured after inhalation of the physiological solution. A significant difference was found for PC50 Rt between the exposed and control workers during (P<0.001) and outside working hours (P<0.01). Significantly different PC50 Rt values were also established within the group of exposed workers as well as within thai of control workers dunng and outside working hours (P<0.014 and P<0.0018 respectively). The majority of hyperreactive persons were workers from the press workshop (n-17) when measurements were performed during working hours. For earty detection of respiratory diseases in workers employed in the oxide ceramics industry preemployment examinations and regular check-ups aiming to determine non-specific airway reactivity are suggested as necessary.Ispitano je 74 radnica zaposlenih u tvornici oksidne keramike (34 radnice zaposlene u prešaonici i 36 kontrolnih radnica iz montažne hale). Skupine se nisu razlikovale po dobi, trajanju radnog staža, visini i indeksu pušenja. Niti jedna od radnica nije imala znakove atopičke konstitucije, a na rendgenskoj snimci pluća nisu uočene promjene plućnog intersticija. Obje skupine ispitanica podvrgnute su kliničkom pregledu i ispitane su na osnovi standardiziranog upitnika. Izmjerene su i ventilacijske funkcije pluća na uređaju Pneumoscreen I, Jaeger, Njemačka. U obje skupine vrijednosti FVC, FEV1, MEF25, MEF50, i MEF75 bile su u granicama normalnih. Ispitivanje nespecifične reaktivnosti dišnih putova provedeno je histamin difosfatom na uređaju Astograph, Chest Corporation, SAD. Za izraz nespecifične reaktivnosti korišten je PC50 Rt tj. porast rezistencije za 50% u odnosu na izmjerenu vrijednost nakon udisanja fiziološke otopine. Nađena je statistički značajna razlika za PC50 Rt s obzirom na kumulativnu dozu provokativnog agensa među radnicama prešaonice i montaže izmjeren tijekom ali i izvan radnog vremena (P<0,001;P<0.01). Nađena je statistički značajna razlika za PC50 Rt radnica u prešaonici za vrijeme i izvan radnog vremena (P<0,014) ali i radnica u montaži (P<0,0018). U skupini radnica prešaonice tijekom radnog vremena utvrđeno je 17 osoba s PC50 Rt dobivenim s manje od 8 mg/ml histamin disfosfata. U radu se naglašava potreba za sustavnim praćenjem nespecifične reaktivnosti dišnih putova u keramičkoj industriji

Event-Related Potentials in Medical Workers with Long-Term Exposure to Xylene

The effects of chronic exposure to xylene on cognitive ability were studied in a group of 35 medical workers occupationally exposed to low-level concentrations of xylene for at least five years by using event-related potentials (ERPs), and compared with a control group of 21 subjects. The exposure to xylene was confirmed through determination of m-methylhippuric acid, a reliable biological indicator of xylene exposure, in pre- and post-shift urine. A dose-effect relationship between log m-methylhippuric acid and ERP log latency (p = 0.032), and the ERP amplitude (p = 0.047) was statistically significant. The group of medical workers showed significantly longer ERP log latency (p < 0.001) than did the control group with respect to factors of exposure to smoking, education and age as covariates. For the ERP amplitude the difference was found not to be significant (p = 0.263), probably due to high between subject variability. The cognitive impairment may occur in workers chronically exposed to xylene

Antineoplastic Drugs as a Potential Risk Factor in Occupational Settings: Mechanisms of Action at the Cell Level, Genotoxic Effects, and Their Detection Using Different Biomarkers

U članku je prikazana osnovna podjela antineoplastičnih lijekova prema mehanizmima djelovanja na razini stanice. Objašnjeni su mehanizmi genotoksičnosti najvažnijih vrsta lijekova koji se primjenjuju u okviru uobičajenih protokola za liječenje zloćudnih novotvorina. Navedena je važeća klasifi kacija antineoplastika prema kancerogenom potencijalu, podaci o mutagenom potencijalu te je prikazana njihova podjela u skladu s anatomsko-terapijsko-kemijskim sustavom klasifi kacije. Sustavno su prikazani najvažniji rezultati svjetskih i hrvatskih istraživanja na populacijama radnika izloženih antineoplasticima, provedenih u razdoblju 1980.-2009. s pomoću četiri najčešće primjenjivane metode: analize izmjena sestrinskih kromatida, analize kromosomskih aberacija, mikronukleus-testa i komet-testa. Objašnjena su osnovna načela navedenih metoda te raspravljene njihove prednosti i nedostaci. Biološki pokazatelji daju važne podatke o individualnoj osjetljivosti profesionalno izloženih ispitanika koji mogu poslužiti unaprjeđenju postojećih uvjeta rada i upravljanju rizicima pri izloženosti genotoksičnim agensima. Na osnovi prednosti i nedostataka citogenetičkih metoda zaključeno je da je mikronukleus-test, koji podjednako uspješno dokazuje klastogene i aneugene učinke, jedna od najboljih metoda dostupnih za otkrivanje štetnih djelovanja antineoplastičnih lijekova koji su u aktivnoj primjeni.This article brings an overview of the mechanisms of action of antineoplastic drugs used in the clinical setting. It also describes the genotoxic potentials of the most important classes of antineoplastic drugs involved in standard chemotherapy protocols. Classifi cation of antineoplastic drugs according to the IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans is accompanied by data on their mutagenicity and the most recent updates in the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classifi cation System. We report the main fi ndings of biomonitoring studies that were conducted in exposed healthcare workers all over the world between 1980 and 2009 using four biomarkers: sister chromatid exchanges, chromosome aberrations, micronuclei. and the comet assay. The methods are briefl y explained and their advantages and disadvantages discussed. Biomarkers provide important information on individual genome sensitivity, which eventually might help to improve current working practices and to manage the risks related with exposure to genotoxic agents. Taking into consideration all known advantages and drawbacks of the existing cytogenetic methods, the micronucleus assay, which is able to detect both clastogenic and aneugenic action, is the most suitable biomarker for assessing harmful effects of antineoplastic drugs currently used in health care

Pneumoconiosis caused by hard metal dust

Pregledano je 108 radnika eksponiranih prašini tvrdog metala u ekspoziciji većoj od dopuštene. Provjerom funkcionalnih testova ventilacije (FVC, FEV1, PEF, FEF30, FEF25) ni u jednog radnika nismo ustanovili restriktivne smetnje. U 52°/o ispitanika utvrđena je redukcija forsiranog ekspiracijskog protoka pri 25% vitalnog kapaciteta, a u 8% smanjen je bio difuzijski kapacitet za CO. U 43% ispitanika nepušača nađen je smanjen ekspiracijski protok kod 25% vitalnog kapaciteta, dok je isti parametar smanjen kod 58% ispitanika pušača. Rendgenogrami pluća klasificirani su prema ILO klasifikaciji, a u 13,8% utvrđene su intersticijske promjene. Od toga 3 ispitanika kodirana su sa 1/1, a sva 3 su pušači u ekspoziciji dugoj 20 godina. Ostali su imali neznatne promjene kodirane s 1/0 i 0/1. Stoga smatramo da je za rano otkrivanje patoloških promjena u intersticiju radnika u ekspoziciji prašini tvrdih metala važno ispitivanje funkcionalnih testova i difuzijskog kapaciteta za CO, jer ranije otkrivaju opstrukciju u malim dišnim putovima nego rendgenogrami.A group of 108 workers with exposure to hard metal dust exceeding the threshold limit value were medically examined. Lung function tests (FVC, FEV1, PEF, FEF50, FEF25) showed no restrictive changes. In 52% of the workers there was a reduction in forced expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity and tin 8% diffusion capacity for CO was diminished. Expiratory flow at 25% of vital capacity was reduced in 43% of non-smokers and ,in 58% of smokers. According to lung X-rays, which were classified according to ILO classification, interstitial changes were found in 13.8% of the workers. Among these three workers had changes classified as 1/1. all of them smokers who had been exposed to hard metal dust for a period of 20 years. In the others slight changes classified as 1/0 and 0/1 were present. It is therefore believed that for early detection of pathological changes in the interstitium in persons exposed to hard metal dust functional tests and diffusion capacity for CO are of major importance as they may serve to determine obstruction on the small airways earlier than X-rays