Effects within the week on forced vital capacity are correlated with long term changes in pulmonary function: reanalysis of studies on car painters exposed to isocyanate.

Abstract

Objectives-To examine if car painters who work with polyurethane paints that contain hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) and hexamethylenediisocyanate biuret trimer (HDI-BT) develop acute as well as chronic impairment of lung function.Methods-In this study data were reanalysed from two earlier studies on a group of car painters to see if a decrease in lung function within the week is a marker of vulnerability in those workers.Data on changes in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) within the week were available for 20 car painters who were also examined six years later. Results-10 men showed a decline in FVC within the week. There were no significant differences in age, duration of employment, exposures during the follow up period, or smoking between car painters who had decline in lung function within the week and car painters who had not. A significant correlation was found between the change in FVC within the week and the long term (six year) change in FVC, standardised for the effects of aging and smoking, and adjusted for the number of peak exposures. Conclusions-The results suggest that the decrease in FVC within the week might serve as a guide to identify car painters at risk of a further decrement in lung function above the effects of aging, smoking, and exposure. (Occup Environ Med 1995;52:192-195)

Forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1st second and forced expiratory ratio in automobile spray paint workers

“…This could be attributed to the ignorance of workers to comply with standard protective measures. The present study is in harmony with previous studies by Dahlqvist V et al, Baur X et al 14,15 The changes in the parameters may be due to diffuse, predominantly mononuclear inflammation of the lung parenchyma particularly the terminal bronchioles, interstitium and alveoli. This inflammation organises into granulomas and may progress to fibrosis.…”

Effects of pulmonary function in short duration exposed automobile spray painters

“…The threshold limit value and permissible exposure limit if are not exceeded, isocyanate induced respiratory effects are little/absent [7]. A relation between peak exposure and reduced pulmonary function in car painters were also observed [8]. In non-smokers positive response to isocyanate exposure was in the form of late or dual response [9].…”

Diagnosis and prevention of diseases induced by isocyanate

“…The lung function test is also useful, but smoking effects should not be neglected (36). The lung functions of smokers is lower than that of non-smokers, and the similar things are also seen in ex-smoker (14,37).…”