Chia S E, Ong C N, Foo S C, Lee H P
Department of Community, Occupational, and Family Medicine, National University of Singapore.
J Am Coll Health. 1992 Nov;41(3):115-9. doi: 10.1080/07448481.1992.9936310.
The authors studied 150 first-year medical students exposed to formaldehyde during the dissection of cadavers in a gross anatomy laboratory. As a reference group, they used 189 third- and fourth-year medical students matched for sex, ethnic group, and age. Environmental and personal samples were collected to determine the exposure to formaldehyde among the first-year students. The mean concentration of formaldehyde in parts per million (ppm) in the area was 0.50 ppm (range = 0.40-0.60 ppm) and the personal sample was 0.74 ppm (range = 0.41-1.20 ppm). No significant differences were noted in the pre- and post-exposure mean FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) and FVC (forced vital capacity) among the 22 randomly selected exposed male and female subjects. Significant differences, however, were observed in the exposed group for symptoms of decreased ability to smell, eye irritation, throat irritation, and dry mouth in comparison with the reference group. These symptoms were also significantly related to the time and place of occurrence. Medical schools should take more concrete measures to reduce students' exposure to formaldehyde. Meanwhile, although it is not now the practice in most medical schools, students should have ready access to goggles and respirators when working in dissection laboratories.
作者对150名在大体解剖实验室解剖尸体过程中接触甲醛的一年级医学生进行了研究。作为对照组，他们选取了189名三、四年级医学生，这些学生在性别、种族和年龄方面与一年级学生相匹配。采集了环境样本和个人样本，以确定一年级学生的甲醛暴露情况。该区域甲醛的平均浓度为百万分之0.50（ppm）（范围为0.40 - 0.60 ppm），个人样本的平均浓度为0.74 ppm（范围为0.41 - 1.20 ppm）。在随机选取的22名接触甲醛的男性和女性受试者中，暴露前后的平均一秒用力呼气量（FEV1）和用力肺活量（FVC）没有显著差异。然而，与对照组相比，暴露组在嗅觉减退、眼睛刺激、喉咙刺激和口干症状方面存在显著差异。这些症状也与发生的时间和地点显著相关。医学院应采取更具体的措施来减少学生接触甲醛的机会。同时，尽管目前大多数医学院校没有这样做，但学生在解剖实验室工作时应能方便地获取护目镜和呼吸器。
