A cohort study using pulmonary function tests and x-ray examination in toner-handling workers

Abstract

<jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives:</jats:title><jats:p> This study uses pulmonary function tests and chest x-ray examinations to examine the relationship between toner-handling work and its health effects. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods:</jats:title><jats:p> The subjects were 1504 male workers in a Japanese toner and photocopier manufacturing company, in the age range from 19 to 50 years in 2003. Personal exposure measurements, pulmonary function tests, chest x-ray examinations, biomarker measurements, and a questionnaire about respiratory symptoms were conducted. The present study reports the results of pulmonary function tests and chest x-ray examinations conducted in the subjects, which includes a cross-sectional study on the toner handling and non-handling workers and a longitudinal study from 2003 to 2008. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results:</jats:title><jats:p> Few significant findings were suspected to be caused by toner exposure found in pulmonary function indices in both the cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Any obvious fibrotic findings in chest x-ray findings related to the toner exposure could not be found out. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion:</jats:title><jats:p> No evidence of adverse effects on pulmonary function indices and chest x-rays was present in the toner-handling workers as compared to the nonspecifically exposed workers. Although the toner exposure concentration is quite low in the current well-controlled working environment, even among the toner-handling workers, we would like to continue this study in the future to verify the toner exposure health effects. </jats:p></jats:sec>

Assessing the chronic respiratory health risk associated with inhalation exposure to powdered toner for printing in actual working conditions: a cohort study on occupationally exposed workers over 10 years

“…Compared with human volunteer or cross-sectional epidemiological studies, the evidence obtained by longitudinal epidemiological studies is quite limited, but longitudinal study results are needed to fully examine the health impact of particulate air pollutants associated with office machines, as far as chronic health effects are concerned. In a cohort study on toner and photocopier manufacturing workers conducted over 4 years, no evidence was obtained regarding the adverse effects on the pulmonary function or chest X-ray findings associated with toner-handling work, 25 26 although an increased prevalence of breathlessness was observed in association with toner-handling work. 27 However, those studies did not evaluate the incidence of abnormalities based on longitudinally observed data.…”

A Cohort Study on Respiratory Symptoms and Diseases Caused by Toner-Handling Work: Longitudinal Analyses from 2003 to 2013

“…We have previously reported on the detailed assessment of toner exposure [19][20][21][22]. In this study, every year between 2003 and 2010, several subjects randomly selected from among workers engaged in five work categories had their toner exposure measured using a personal dust sampler.…”

“…Since a positive independent relationship between lung function impairment and abdominal obesity is well known [26], we adopted BMI as a confounding factor. As for other confounding factors we adopted, these were expected to affect the prevalence of respiratory symptoms based on published baseline studies [27,28] and interim reports [20][21][22]. In the analysis for the symptom wheezing without asthmatic response, only asthma was excluded as a confounding factor.…”

Effects of toner-handling work on respiratory function, chest X-ray findings, and biomarkers of inflammation, allergy, and oxidative stress: a prospective Japanese cohort study from 2003 to 2013

“…In model 3, we used the higher goodness-of-fit model in models 1 and 2 and adjusted the model using age at baseline, body mass index, smoking, asthma, allergic rhinitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, exposure to dust other than toner at work, and organic solventhandling work as confounding factors. Baseline surveys [21,27] and interim reports [22][23][24] have suggested that these variables may influence dependent variables. Additionally, in model 4, with regard to toner-handling work, analysis was performed using the three groups, that is, the highconcentration toner exposure group, low-concentration toner exposure group, and non-toner-handling group.…”

“…We have previously reported our findings from detailed assessments of toner exposure levels [19,[21][22][23][24]. In particular, Matsuda et al described the details of the actual state of toner exposure in workers who handled toner in the same enterprise where this study was conducted.…”