Are women more sensitive than men to 2-propanol andm-xylene vapours?

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate possible differences between men and women in acute health effects after controlled short term chamber exposure to vapours of two common organic solvents. Methods: Fifty six healthy volunteers (28 per sex) were exposed to 150 ppm 2-propanol, 50 ppm m-xylene, and clean air for two hours at rest. The subjects rated symptoms on a visual analogue scale before, during, and after the exposure. Blinking frequency was measured continuously during exposure. Pulmonary function, nasal swelling, inflammatory markers (lysozyme, eosinophilic cationic potein, myeloperoxidase, albumin) in nasal lavage and colour vision (Lanthony D-15 desaturated panel) were measured before and at 0 and 3 hours after the exposure. Results: There were no significant sex differences in response to solvent exposure with respect to blinking frequency, lung diffusing capacity, nasal area and volume, inflammatory markers in nasal lavage, and colour vision. Increased symptoms were rated by both sexes for nearly all 10 questions during exposure to 2-propanol or m-xylene, most increases being significant at one time point at least. The rating of "discomfort in the throat or airways" increased more in women during exposure to 2-propanol or m-xylene. During exposure to 2-propanol the rating of "fatigue" was more increased in men after one hour, but more increased in women after two hours of exposure. With regard to pulmonary function, women had small but significant decreases in FVC, FEV 1 /FVC, and FEF 75 three hours after exposure to m-xylene, but only the decrease in FVC was significantly different from that in men. Conclusion: Our results suggest that women are slightly more sensitive than men to the acute irritative effects of 2-propanol and m-xylene vapours.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC), formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) in schools in Johor Bahru, Malaysia: Associations with rhinitis, ocular, throat and dermal symptoms, headache and fatigue

“…We found no previous study on associations between exposure to xylene in schools and fatigue. However, one exposure chamber study found an increase of fatigue after exposure to mxylene but at much higher levels (50 ppb for 2 h) (Ernstgård et al, 2002). We found that indoor methylcyclohexane measured during class was negatively associated with rhinitis.…”

2‐Propanol [MAK Value Documentation in German language, 2018]

“…Die Symptome waren insgesamt schwach ausgeprägt und erreichten einen Wert von 14,9 auf einer Skala von 0 bis 100, das entspricht einer verbalen Graduierung von etwas mehr als "kaum". Frauen waren etwas sensibler bezüglich der subjektiven Wahrnehmung einer reizenden Wirkung als Männer (Ernstgård et al 2002).…”

Richtwerte für Dimethylbenzole in der Innenraumluft

“…In einer weiteren Untersuchung wurden je 28 Männer und Frauen 2 h lang gegenüber 220 mg m-Xylol/m 3 exponiert [45]. Es wurden sowohl subjektive Eindrücke (anhand einer visuellen Analogskala) als auch objektive Parameter wie Lungenfunktion, nasale Schleimhautschwellung, Entzündungsmarker in der nasalen Lavage und die Fähigkeit zur Farbdifferenzierung untersucht.…”

“…In der Gesamteinschät-zung wurde die Expositionskonzentration von 220 mg/m 3 als "minimale LOAEC" eingestuft. Lungenfunktionswerte (FVC, FEF 75 ) waren bei Frauen 3 h nach Expositionsende minimal (< 4 %) vermindert, alle anderen Parameter waren bei Männern und Frauen unmittelbar im Anschluss an die Exposition und 3 h später nicht verändert [45].…”