Washko R M, Day B, Parker J E, Castellan R M, Kreiss K
Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, USA.
Am J Ind Med. 2000 Dec;38(6):628-38. doi: 10.1002/1097-0274(200012)38:6<628::aid-ajim3>3.0.co;2-u.
A cluster of biopsy-confirmed interstitial lung disease among workers at a nylon flock plant led to a request for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health investigators to conduct a health hazard evaluation.
Part of the overall evaluation, reported here, involved a cross-sectional medical survey of current employees. The survey consisted of a questionnaire, spirometry and diffusing capacity testing, and chest radiograph.
Workers assigned to production and maintenance jobs reported frequent eye and throat irritation, respiratory symptoms, and systemic symptoms (i.e., generalized aches and fevers). Most reported improvement when away from work. Frequent respiratory/systemic symptom prevalence was significantly associated with departmental category, with days and hours worked per week, and with working on a flocking range. Compared to asymptomatic workers, symptomatic workers had similar mean ratios of forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity, but lower mean percent of predicted values for both forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity. All acceptable chest radiographs were classified as category 0 for small opacities.
Findings of this study, along with those from studies reported elsewhere, implicate occupational exposure to flock-associated dust as a significant respiratory health hazard at this plant.
一家尼龙绒毛厂的工人中出现了一组经活检确诊的间质性肺病病例，这促使美国国家职业安全与健康研究所的调查人员开展健康危害评估。
本文报告的整体评估的一部分，涉及对该厂在职员工进行的横断面医学调查。该调查包括一份问卷、肺活量测定和弥散功能测试，以及胸部X光检查。
从事生产和维护工作的工人报告经常出现眼睛和喉咙刺激、呼吸道症状和全身症状（即全身疼痛和发热）。大多数人报告说离开工作岗位后症状有所改善。呼吸道/全身症状的频繁发生率与部门类别、每周工作天数和时长以及在植绒区域工作显著相关。与无症状工人相比，有症状工人的一秒用力呼气量与用力肺活量的平均比值相似，但用力肺活量和弥散功能的预测值平均百分比更低。所有合格的胸部X光片对于小阴影均分类为0类。
本研究结果以及其他地方报告的研究结果表明，在这家工厂，职业接触绒毛相关粉尘是一种重大的呼吸健康危害。
