Fidan Fatma, Unlü Mehmet, Köken Tülay, Tetik Levent, Akgün Sema, Demirel Reha, Serteser Mustafa
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, The School of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey.
J Occup Health. 2005 Jul;47(4):286-92. doi: 10.1539/joh.47.286.
Welding is a process during which fumes, gases, electromagnetic radiation and noise are emitted as by-products. Metal oxide particles are particularly hazardous components of welding fumes. Welding has been found to be associated with respiratory symptoms and our objective in the present study was to study the effects of welding on pulmonary function and serum oxidant-antioxidant status. Fifty-one welding workers and 31 control subjects were recruited. Face to face interviews were conducted using the respiratory illness questionnaire adapted from the American Thoracic Society with the addition of demographic characteristics, work history and working conditions. Additionally physical examinations and spirometric measurements were performed at workplaces. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls, protein sulfhydryls (SH) and erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were measured to evaluate oxidant-antioxidant status in 34 welding workers and in 20 control subjects. No statistically significant differences were observed in age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), smoking status and annual working durations between welding workers and controls. Coughing, sputting and wheezing were significantly higher in welding workers (p<0.05). When adjusted for age, BMI and smoking status in logistic regression, welding work showed a significant risk for chronic bronchitis (OR: 4.78, 95%CI: 1.30-17.54). Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1))/forced vital capacity (FVC) and four parameters of forced expiratory flow (FEF: FEF(25), FEF(50), FEF(75), FEF(25-75)) levels measured in the welding workers were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). Serum TBARS and protein carbonyl levels were higher in welding workers than those in controls (p<0.001, p<0.05, respectively). On the other hand, total protein SH groups and GSH levels were significantly lower in welders than those in controls (p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively). Pulmonary function tests and oxidant-antioxidant status were found to be negatively affected in welding workers chronically exposed to welding fumes and gases. Preventive measures should be taken to improve the health status of these workers.
焊接是一个会产生烟雾、气体、电磁辐射和噪音等副产品的过程。金属氧化物颗粒是焊接烟雾中特别有害的成分。已发现焊接与呼吸道症状有关，本研究的目的是研究焊接对肺功能和血清氧化还原状态的影响。招募了51名焊接工人和31名对照对象。使用改编自美国胸科学会的呼吸道疾病问卷进行面对面访谈，并增加了人口统计学特征、工作史和工作条件。此外，在工作场所进行了体格检查和肺活量测定。测量了34名焊接工人和20名对照对象的硫代巴比妥酸反应物质（TBARS）、蛋白质羰基、蛋白质巯基（SH）和红细胞还原型谷胱甘肽（GSH）水平，以评估氧化还原状态。焊接工人和对照组在年龄、身高、体重、体重指数（BMI）、吸烟状况和年工作时长方面未观察到统计学上的显著差异。焊接工人的咳嗽、咳痰和喘息发生率显著更高（p<0.05）。在逻辑回归中对年龄、BMI和吸烟状况进行调整后，焊接工作显示出患慢性支气管炎的显著风险（比值比：4.78，95%置信区间：1.30-17.54）。焊接工人的一秒用力呼气量（FEV(1)）/用力肺活量（FVC）以及四个用力呼气流量参数（FEF：FEF(25)、FEF(50)、FEF(75)、FEF(25-75)）水平显著低于对照组（p<0.05）。焊接工人的血清TBARS和蛋白质羰基水平高于对照组（分别为p<0.001，p<0.05）。另一方面，焊工的总蛋白质SH基团和GSH水平显著低于对照组（分别为p<0.05，p<0.001）。长期暴露于焊接烟雾和气体中的焊接工人的肺功能测试和氧化还原状态受到负面影响。应采取预防措施以改善这些工人的健康状况。
