Abstract
Background: Diisocyanates are potent sensitizing agents and currently the most commonly identified cause of occupational asthma in industrialized countries. However, diisocyanate asthma is difficult to diagnose and exposure and host risk factors are unclear. Auto body shops, one of the most common hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) exposure settings, are particularly difficult to study due to their small size and episodic exposures. Surveillance studies of such workers are limited. Objectives: We have initiated a cross-sectional field epidemiologic study, Survey of Painters and Repairers of Auto bodies by Yale (SPRAY), to characterize the effects of diisocyanate exposures on actively employed auto body shop workers. Methods and Results: We present here questionnaire, physiologic, immunologic, and exposure data on 75 subjects enrolled in the study. No overt cases of clinically apparent diisocyanate asthma were identified based on spirometry, methacholine challenge, peak flows, and symptoms. HDI-specific lymphocyte proliferation was present in 30% of HDI-exposed workers and HDI-specific IgG in 34% of HDI-exposed workers, but they were not associated. HDI-specific IgE was detected in two workers. HDI-specific lymphocyte proliferation, increased methacholine responsiveness, and symptoms of chest tightness and shortness of breath were more common in the most heavily HDI-exposed workers, the painters. More long-term follow-up of this cohort should clarify the significance of these HDI-specific immunologic responses, physiologic changes, and symptoms. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the presence of HDI-specific immune responses in a large proportion of healthy HDI-exposed workers.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 587-597 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | American Journal of Industrial Medicine |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Asthma
- Diisocyanates
- Hexamethylene diisocyanate
- Lymphocyte proliferation
- Surveillance
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Subclinical immunologic and physiologic responses in hexamethylene diisocyanate-exposed auto body shop workers. / Morse, Timothy; Dillon, Charles; Warren, Nicholas; Hall, Charles B.; Hovey, Deborah.
In: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol. 39, No. 6, 2001, p. 587-597.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Subclinical immunologic and physiologic responses in hexamethylene diisocyanate-exposed auto body shop workers
AU - Morse, Timothy
AU - Dillon, Charles
AU - Warren, Nicholas
AU - Hall, Charles B.
AU - Hovey, Deborah
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Background: Diisocyanates are potent sensitizing agents and currently the most commonly identified cause of occupational asthma in industrialized countries. However, diisocyanate asthma is difficult to diagnose and exposure and host risk factors are unclear. Auto body shops, one of the most common hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) exposure settings, are particularly difficult to study due to their small size and episodic exposures. Surveillance studies of such workers are limited. Objectives: We have initiated a cross-sectional field epidemiologic study, Survey of Painters and Repairers of Auto bodies by Yale (SPRAY), to characterize the effects of diisocyanate exposures on actively employed auto body shop workers. Methods and Results: We present here questionnaire, physiologic, immunologic, and exposure data on 75 subjects enrolled in the study. No overt cases of clinically apparent diisocyanate asthma were identified based on spirometry, methacholine challenge, peak flows, and symptoms. HDI-specific lymphocyte proliferation was present in 30% of HDI-exposed workers and HDI-specific IgG in 34% of HDI-exposed workers, but they were not associated. HDI-specific IgE was detected in two workers. HDI-specific lymphocyte proliferation, increased methacholine responsiveness, and symptoms of chest tightness and shortness of breath were more common in the most heavily HDI-exposed workers, the painters. More long-term follow-up of this cohort should clarify the significance of these HDI-specific immunologic responses, physiologic changes, and symptoms. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the presence of HDI-specific immune responses in a large proportion of healthy HDI-exposed workers.
AB - Background: Diisocyanates are potent sensitizing agents and currently the most commonly identified cause of occupational asthma in industrialized countries. However, diisocyanate asthma is difficult to diagnose and exposure and host risk factors are unclear. Auto body shops, one of the most common hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) exposure settings, are particularly difficult to study due to their small size and episodic exposures. Surveillance studies of such workers are limited. Objectives: We have initiated a cross-sectional field epidemiologic study, Survey of Painters and Repairers of Auto bodies by Yale (SPRAY), to characterize the effects of diisocyanate exposures on actively employed auto body shop workers. Methods and Results: We present here questionnaire, physiologic, immunologic, and exposure data on 75 subjects enrolled in the study. No overt cases of clinically apparent diisocyanate asthma were identified based on spirometry, methacholine challenge, peak flows, and symptoms. HDI-specific lymphocyte proliferation was present in 30% of HDI-exposed workers and HDI-specific IgG in 34% of HDI-exposed workers, but they were not associated. HDI-specific IgE was detected in two workers. HDI-specific lymphocyte proliferation, increased methacholine responsiveness, and symptoms of chest tightness and shortness of breath were more common in the most heavily HDI-exposed workers, the painters. More long-term follow-up of this cohort should clarify the significance of these HDI-specific immunologic responses, physiologic changes, and symptoms. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the presence of HDI-specific immune responses in a large proportion of healthy HDI-exposed workers.
KW - Asthma
KW - Diisocyanates
KW - Hexamethylene diisocyanate
KW - Lymphocyte proliferation
KW - Surveillance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034970819&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034970819&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ajim.1058
DO - 10.1002/ajim.1058
M3 - Article
C2 - 11385643
AN - SCOPUS:0034970819
VL - 39
SP - 587
EP - 597
JO - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
JF - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
SN - 0271-3586
IS - 6
ER -