Potroom asthma: New Zealand experience and follow-up

Occupational asthma related to work in potlines in an aluminum smelter has been diagnosed on clinical criteria in 57 workers. About half were regular tobacco smokers but atopy was uncommon. There was a wide range in the time for which each had been employed prior to development of symptoms, but the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of industrial medicine Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 43
Main Authors O'Donnell, T V, Welford, B, Coleman, E D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 1989
Subjects
Aluminum - adverse effects
Asthma - chemically induced
Environmental Exposure
Follow-Up Studies
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Metallurgy
New Zealand
Occupational Diseases - chemically induced
Skin Tests
New Zealand
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ISSN0271-3586
DOI10.1002/ajim.4700150106

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Summary:Occupational asthma related to work in potlines in an aluminum smelter has been diagnosed on clinical criteria in 57 workers. About half were regular tobacco smokers but atopy was uncommon. There was a wide range in the time for which each had been employed prior to development of symptoms, but the average was about 20 months. Thirty-four showed nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity to methacholine. At annual reviews over a period of 5 years following transfer to other work at the smelter, the majority improved in symptoms in 1-2 years and bronchial hyperreactivity returned to normal. However, over the subsequent 3 years, deterioration, not limited to tobacco smokers or atopic subjects, has occurred in some subjects.
ISSN:0271-3586
DOI:10.1002/ajim.4700150106