PMID- 8704860
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19960910
LR  - 20190503
IS  - 1351-0711 (Print)
IS  - 1470-7926 (Electronic)
IS  - 1351-0711 (Linking)
VI  - 53
IP  - 3
DP  - 1996 Mar
TI  - Epidemiological study of hard metal asthma.
PG  - 188-93
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To elucidate factors contributing to hard metal asthma, the entire 
      workforce of a corporation producing hard metal tools (n = 703) was examined. 
      METHODS: The variables evaluated were the atopy reflected by immunoglobulin E 
      (IgE) antibody against mite allergen, history of exposure to hard metal, smoking, 
      concentration of airborne cobalt, specific IgE antibody reaction against cobalt, 
      and the respiratory symptom of attacks of reversible dyspnoea with wheeze 
      (asthmatic symptoms). RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that the prevalence of 
      the asthmatic symptoms was significantly higher in formerly and currently exposed 
      male workers than in non-exposed male workers. Positive IgE reaction against 
      cobalt was found in seven men (2.0%), all of whom had asthmatic symptoms. 
      Furthermore, it was found that atopy, positive IgE antibody against cobalt, and 
      age of 40 or older were significantly correlated with asthmatic symptoms. 
      Multilogistic analysis on the same factors and smoking in all of the workers 
      showed that the age, experience of hard metal exposure, and atopy were 
      significant risk factors associated with the asthmatic symptoms. Multilogistic 
      analysis of data for currently exposed and non-exposed workers also showed that 
      age and atopy were risk factors, and that the exposure to cobalt at the low 
      concentration (at or below 50 micrograms/m3) but not at the higher concentration 
      was a significant risk factor. Exposure to mist of coolants containing ionic 
      cobalt, used during grinding, was not found to be any more hazardous in terms of 
      onset of asthmatic symptoms than exposure to hard metal dust containing metallic 
      cobalt. CONCLUSIONS: Accordingly, it is concluded that both environmental factors 
      and individual susceptibility should be taken into consideration in efforts to 
      reduce the prevalence of hard metal asthma.
FAU - Kusaka, Y
AU  - Kusaka Y
AD  - Department of Environmental Health, Fukui Medical School, Matsuoka-cho, Japan.
FAU - Iki, M
AU  - Iki M
FAU - Kumagai, S
AU  - Kumagai S
FAU - Goto, S
AU  - Goto S
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - England
TA  - Occup Environ Med
JT  - Occupational and environmental medicine
JID - 9422759
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
RN  - 3G0H8C9362 (Cobalt)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aged
MH  - Asthma/*chemically induced/epidemiology
MH  - Cobalt/*adverse effects/immunology
MH  - Cross-Sectional Studies
MH  - Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Hypersensitivity, Immediate/chemically induced
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/blood
MH  - Japan/epidemiology
MH  - Male
MH  - *Metallurgy
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Occupational Exposure/*adverse effects
MH  - Prevalence
MH  - Radioallergosorbent Test
MH  - Sex Factors
MH  - Smoking/adverse effects
PMC - PMC1128442
EDAT- 1996/03/01 00:00
MHDA- 1996/03/01 00:01
PMCR- 1996/03/01
CRDT- 1996/03/01 00:00
PHST- 1996/03/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1996/03/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1996/03/01 00:00 [entrez]
PHST- 1996/03/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.1136/oem.53.3.188 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Occup Environ Med. 1996 Mar;53(3):188-93. doi: 10.1136/oem.53.3.188.