Hearing Loss in Workers Exposed to Toluene and Noise

Chang, Shwu-Fen; Chen, Chiou-Jong; Lien, Chih Hiu; Sung, Fung Chang

doi:10.1289/ehp.8959

Cited by 83 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Accepting hippuric acid as a marker of toluene exposure and comparing the levels of hippuric acid for each study, 0.84 g/g creatinine for the present study vs. 2.3 g/g creatinine (BEI 1.6 g/g creatinine) for the Morata et al study, which means exceeding the BEI for more than 43%, the different prevalences of bilateral hearing loss, 36% in the present study vs. 49% in the Morata et al sample and the problem of significance vs. insignificance of the hippuric acid concentration lose their contrariness. When comparing our results to those of Chang et al [4], several shortcomings and curious points may be noted in the results of the second study:…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 60%

“…The concentration of toluene in ambient air was not found to be significantly associated with hearing loss and no significant associations with hearing loss were noted for the other solvents or noise. In 2006, Chang et al reported odds ratios of at least 104 for high frequency hearing loss > 25 dB after combined exposure to toluene and noise in adhesive manufacturing [toluene in ambient air: 33/107/164 ppm, noise: 83-84 dB(A)] [4]. The results in humans with occupational exposures seem to support the hypothesis of a combined effect of toluene and noise.…”

Section: Problemmentioning

confidence: 94%

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The Effects of Toluene Plus Noise on Hearing Thresholds: An Evaluation Based on Repeated Measurements in the German Printing Industry

Schäper

Seeber²,

Thriel³

2008

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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Objectives: The ototoxicity of occupational exposure to toluene plus noise was investigated in a longitudinal study in rotogravure printing and existing findings in the literature were evaluated. Material and Methods: The study comprised four repeated examinations during 5 years and started with 333 male workers. Lifetime weighted average exposures (LWAE) to toluene and noise were determined from individual work histories and historic recordings; recent individual exposures were measured 10 times during the study (toluene, active sampling; noise, stationary measurements). Auditory thresholds were measured with pure tone audiometry at 0. 125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 kHz. Results: Mean LWAE exposures to toluene and noise were 45±17 ppm plus 82±7 dB(A) for high toluene exposed and 10±7 ppm plus 82±4 dB(A) for low toluene exposed subjects, mean current exposures were 26±20 ppm plus 81±4 dB(A) and 3±3 ppm plus 82±4 dB(A). Mean exposure duration was 21.3±6.5 years for long exposed and 5.9±2.2 years for short exposed subjects. Repeated measurement analyses of variance did not reveal effects of toluene intensity, exposure duration and interactions between toluene intensity and noise intensity. Noise intensity [79±3 dB(A) vs. 84±1 dB(A)] was significant for auditory thresholds. A case concept utilising developments of individual auditory thresholds did not reveal significant toluene effects. Logistic models including age, exposure duration, toluene in ambient air, current noise and either hippuric acid or ortho-cresol (o-cresol) found only age to be significant for elevated OR of high frequency hearing loss. Conclusions: Due to missing toluene effects, it was concluded that the threshold level for developing hearing loss as a result of occupational exposure to toluene plus noise might be above the current limit of 50 ppm toluene.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 60%

Section: Problemmentioning

confidence: 94%

The Effects of Toluene Plus Noise on Hearing Thresholds: An Evaluation Based on Repeated Measurements in the German Printing Industry

Schäper

Seeber²,

Thriel³

2008

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

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“…The synergistic effect of noise and drugs is well established (e.g., Dayal et al 1971;Jauhiainen et al 1972;Eddy and Morgan 1976;Hawkins et al 1976;Vernon et al 1977;Bombard et al 2005), along with the interaction of various industrial chemicals and noise (e.g., Barregard and Axelsson 1984;Fechter et al 2002;Morata et al 2002;Schaper et al 2003;Chang et al 2006). Thus, in combination with the lack of any effect on auditory function of NRTIs alone, the above findings provide a convincing demonstration of a noise/NRTI synergistic interaction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Noise-induced hearing loss in mice treated with antiretroviral drugs

et al. 2008

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The results reported here for CBA/CaJ mice describe the effects of regular dosing with a common antiretroviral drug combination on outer hair cell (OHC) function using measures of 2f 1 -f 2 distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). Specifically, experimental mice were treated daily over a 3-mo period with the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), zidovudine (ZDV) and lamivudine (3TC), dissolved in their drinking water, while their control counterparts received untreated water. DPOAE levels and ABR detection thresholds prior to and after 12 wk of NRTI treatment did not differ between experimental and control groups. To assess whether NRTI treatment potentiates the adverse effects of noise overexposure on OHC function, both experimental and control mice were exposed 1 wk later, while still on the drug regimen, to a 10-kHz octave-band noise (OBN) at 105 dB SPL for 1 h. A major outcome of the sound overexposure episode was that the NRTI-pretreated mice showed significantly greater permanent OBNinduced reductions in DPOAE levels at 2 wk postexposure than were observed for the untreated control animals. These findings support the notion that a synergistic relationship exists between certain NRTIs and intense sounds in that such preexposure drug treatments produced greater noiseinduced decreases in DPOAE activity than did noise exposure alone. This drug/noise interaction is consistent with the known harmful effects of NRTIs on cellular mitochondrial activity.

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“…Several clinical and epidemiological studies confirmed an association between exposure to solvents (styrene, toluene, xylenes, solvent mixtures, and jet fuels) in the workplace and increased prevalence of hearing loss, as well as poor hearing thresholds beyond the traditional 4 kHz noise-related audiometric notch. [83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92] For an extensive review of human studies, see Johnson and Morata 93 (available online at https:// gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/23240).…”

Section: Co-exposurementioning

confidence: 99%