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Occupational skin diseases are frequent in the healthcare sector. The objective of this study was to obtain baseline data on hand eczema and risk factors for hand eczema in an unselected hospital population. A questionnaire study on hand eczema and risk factors for hand eczema was performed among hospital employees at a middle-size Danish hospital. A total of 1909 employees from all job groups and all departments were included. Response rate was 65.3%. The overall frequency of self-reported hand eczema within the past 12 months was 23%. Divided into job groups, the frequencies varied from 8% to 32% and were significantly higher among assistant nurses (32%), nurses (30%), and nursing aids (27%). For the individual departments, the hand eczema frequencies varied from 7% to 50%, with the highest frequencies reported at medical and surgical wards. Occupational risk factors for hand eczema such as use of protective gloves and hand washing were significantly more frequent among respondents with hand eczema within the past year, which suggests a potential for prevention through workplace interventions. In conclusion, high frequencies of hand eczema were observed among assistant nurses, nurses, and nursing aids. Hand eczema was more frequent among women and in the younger age groups.

Medical examinations and dust analysis showed that illness of workers, predominently asthma, in an enclosed waste sorting plant in Denmark, was probably related to high particulate levels containing bacteria and endotoxins derived from decaying waste. Modification of the plant to enclose conveyors and install vacuum cleaning systems to reduce dust levels led to significant reductions in airborne bacteria and the nearly complete elimination of endotoxins. However, fungi concentrations were not reduced.

The half-life and metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of antipyrine and phenytoin were determined in 14 young (mean age: 28.8 +/- 8.3 (SD) years] and in 14 elderly [mean age: 83.5 +/- 7.1 (SD) years] subjects and correlated with liver volume, which was determined by ultrasonic scanning, to see if an age-dependent difference in drug metabolism could be explained by a reduced liver weight with age. The size of the liver was smaller in the elderly subjects even when related to decreased body surface. A significant decrease in serum albumin in the elderly compared with the younger group was also noted. The half-life of antipyrine was significantly longer in the elderly than in the younger group, 756 +/- 318 and 465 +/- 110 minutes, respectively, and the MCR was correspondingly lower in the elderly even when calculated per litre of live volume, 22.8 +/- 7.8 and 36.3 +/- 8.9ml/minute/L liver volume, respectively. No significant differences in the 2 age groups were found in half-life and total clearance of phenytoin, but a reduced free phenytoin clearance was demonstrated in the elderly (240 +/- 92ml/minute/L liver volume) compared with the younger (325 +/- 81ml/minute/L liver volume) group. No significant correlation was found between liver volume and the half-life of antipyrine and phenytoin. However, a significant correlation was demonstrated between liver volume and MCR of antipyrine as well as between total and free clearance of phenytoin. No correlation was found between the half-lives of the 2 drugs, while a significant correlation existed between the clearance values. It is suggested that the age-dependent reduction in drug clearance is due not only to a smaller liver volume, but it also a result of a reduced capacity of the liver microsomes per unit of liver in the elderly. With regard to age-dependent changes in drug metabolism, the protein binding of the actual drug has to be taken into consideration.

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