Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Kanceljak-Macan

Publications and source records attributed to B Kanceljak-Macan.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Sensitization to storage mites in urban working environment.

This paper presents an analysis of a medical history questionnaire, skin prick test and specific IgE to storage mites Lepidoglyphus destructor and Tyrophagus putrescentiae performed on 26 male paper mill workers and 36 postmen. Positive prick test were considered urticas with the mean diameter of 3 mm or over. Increased specific IgE were considered values of over 0.35 kU/L. Paper mill workers manifested a significantly higher frequency of positive test results, increased specific IgE and positive prick test, to L. destructor and T. putrescentiae than did the postmen. Paper mill workers with increased specific IgE manifested significantly greater mean skin reactivity to T. putrescentiae than to L. destructor. Respiratory symptoms were found in 40% of paper mill workers with positive test results to L. destructor, and in 53.8% with positive test results to T. putrescentiae. All postmen with positive test results to L. destructor and 83.3% with positive test results to T. putrescentiae had respiratory symptoms. The study results indicate that it is necessary to monitor sensitization to mites and to establish methods for identification and quantification of mites in the working and general environment.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Respiratory function and allergic reactions in paper recycling workers].

Respiratory function and allergic reactions were studied in 101 male workers in paper recycling and in 87 nonexposed male control workers. Ventilatory capacity was measured by recording maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves with readings on forced vital capacity (FVC), one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), and maximum expiratory flows at 50% and the last 25% (FEF50 and FEF25, respectively). Skin prick test with paper dust allergens, some nonoccupational allergens, and total immunoglobulin IgE analysis were used to assess immunological status. Significantly higher prevalences of all chronic respiratory symptoms were recorded in the exposed workers than in controls. The highest prevalence was recorded for chronic cough (36.6%), followed by chronic phlegm (34.7%), chronic bronchitis (33.7%), sinusitis (31.7%), nasal catarrh (29.7%), and dyspnea (16.8%). Occupational asthma was diagnosed in four paper recycling workers only (4.0%). Values of FEF50 and FEF25 were significantly lower than predicted, indicating obstructive changes located mostly in the smaller airways. Skin tests to paper allergens were found positive in 16 (15.8%) paper recycling workers and none in controls. An increase in total immunoglobulin IgE was found in 21 of 101 paper recycling workers and in two of 37 of controls (P < 0.05). Our data indicate that exposure to air pollutants in paper recycling industry may lead to the development of respiratory symptoms accompanied by lung function and immunological impairment.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function of the lungs in wool textile industry workers].

Subjects in the study were 158 female wool textile workers and 87 control non-exposed workers. Respiratory symptoms were assessed by means of a questionnaire. Ventilatory capacity was measured in wool workers by recording maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves on Monday before and after the work shift. Forced vital capacity (FVC), one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and flow rates at 50% and the last 25% of the vital capacity (FEF50, FEF25) were measured on MEFV curves. Significantly higher prevalences of all chronic respiratory symptoms were recorded in exposed than in control workers (P < 0.01). Exposure to wool dust caused significant across shift reductions of ventilatory capacity varying from 2.0 to 9.1%. Those reductions were similar in textile workers exposed to wool for more than 10 years showed similar across shift reductions of ventilatory capacity tests as those with shorter exposure. Smokers and non-smokers had similar acute and chronic lung function changes. In a larger number of wool workers FEF50 and FEF25 were below 70% of predicted normal values. Bronchoprovocation testing with wool dust extract did not demonstrate correlation with respiratory impairment. Our data suggest that dust exposure in wool textile mills may be associated with the development of chronic respiratory symptoms and impaired lung function.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prevalence of sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in several industrial populations.

Skin tests with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were carried out by the standard prick method in six groups of industrial workers: meat processing workers (n = 107), brewery workers (n = 96), animal food workers (n = 40), swine farmers (n = 32), paper-mill workers (n = 132) and wool-textile workers (n = 111). The control group consisted of 158 subjects who were tested during the preemployment examinations and had not worked in industrial plants before. Skin reactions were read after 20 minutes by measuring the largest urtica diameter in millimeters. A diameter >3 mm was considered to be a sign of a positive skin reaction. In relation to the control group a significant (P < 0.01) higher prevalence of positive skin reaction to D. pteronyssinus was found among the meat processing workers (41-13%, animals food workers (30 vs. 13%), swine farmers (34 vs. 13%) and wool-textile workers (32% vs. 13%). Results of the standard prick rest were not significant for the brewery workers (21 vs. 13%) and the paper-mill workers (21 vs. 13% in controls). Our results demonstrate the need for applying specific individual health measures if working conditions favour the growth and reproduction of house dust mites.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiologic and sociologic aspects of occupational bronchial asthma].

The main problems confronted in epidemiological investigations of occupational bronchial asthma are described, such as the absence of a definition of the disease, the need for a standardized questionnaire for the symptoms of the disease and the heterogeneity of the functional lung tests. The questionnaires most frequently used for respiratory symptoms and the most suitable tests for measuring and evaluating ventilatory lung function are discussed. The problem of identifying the persons who are at risk of developing occupational bronchial asthma is also dealt with.

Asthma↗
PubMed1989

[Reevaluation of work disability in chronic bronchitis and functional criteria at rest].

As part of an investigation to reassess disability which was performed in 579 subjects with an internist's diagnosis, disability was reassessed in 68 males with chronic bronchitis as the main diagnosis. Disability reassessment was carried out by an informal team of physicians consisting of pulmologists and members of a second degree disability board. The aim of the study was to define the differences between disability reevaluation and residual working capacity. In. chronic bronchitics, a complete functional pulmonary test was carried out including measurement of the degree of obstruction, several specific parameters, non-specific bronchial reactivity and an analysis of arterial blood gases. Disability was reassessed in accordance with the following parameters: accurate evaluation, inaccurate evaluation, residual working capacity, uncompleted treatment. The one-way Kruskal-Wallis rank analysis of non-parametric data attributed the following predictors as specific: age, PC20, FEV1, the condition of hyperreactive airways and the degree of airway obstruction. The relevance of functional criteria ar rest, particularly of FEV1, for assessing the loss of working capacity in persons with chronic obstructive bronchitis is emphasized.

Bronchitis↗
PubMed1989

[Skin reactivity to grass pollen and the mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in the prick-test using 2 types of allergen preparations].

The reliability of prick testing with allergen preparations produced in Yugoslavia was assessed by comparison to the internationally accepted ones (Pharmacia Diagnostica) of 100,000 BU activity. The following allergens were used: the mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in 107 subjects, and grass pollens: Dactylis glomerata, Poa pratensis, Phleum pratense and Secale cereale in 39 subjects. The clinical significance of the response was assessed in relation to the skin reaction to the negative control solution and positive histamine control (in concentration of 1 mg/ml). The results indicate that the allergen extract of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (3000 PNU/ml) produced in Yugoslavia does not provoke skin reactions comparable to those provoked by the standardized extract of 100,000 BU in contrast to the grass pollen allergens, with the exception of Poa pratensis, which evokes equivalent skin reactions. Thus grass pollen allergens are reliable extracts and can be applied with good confidence in routine work. The need to set more rigorous criteria for assessing skin prick reactions, when domestic, unstandardized products are used, emerged as a result of this study.

Allergens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The effect of the length of exposure and smoking on respiratory function in workers exposed to asbestos-cement dust].

Respiratory function tests were performed in 110 workers who were occupationally exposed to asbestos-cement dust in the period from 7 to 34 years. Due to the results obtained, the following groups of patients were analysed according to years of asbestos-cement exposure and the habit of cigarette smoking. The analysis of the years of exposure to asbestos-cement dust revealed that the workers with the exposure longer than 16 years had significantly lower FVC and FEV1 (P less than 0.001) than the workers whose exposure was less than 16 years. In view of increasing age this deterioration proved to be significantly higher than it had been expected. Of all the subjects included in this study 7% of them were found to have a partial respiratory insufficiency. The phenomenon could not be explained either by the length of exposure or by the habit of cigarette smoking. In the smoking subjects with the longest exposure, a markedly lower SaHbO2 was found as compared to the smokers with the shortest exposure (P less than 0.05).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of atopy indicators in the adult population of the Zagreb region].

In a sample of 583 subjects (303 men and 280 women) intradermal test with 13 inhalatory allergens, total serum IgE (PRIST Phadezym) determination and nonspecific bronchial reactivity measurement by histamin test, were performed. History data on respiratory symptoms was also taken. The following were evaluated: mean urtica diameter D+d/2 > 8 mm (KT+), value of IgE > 125 IU/ml, and bronchial hyperreactivity (BH), separately in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. In symptomatic smokers total IgE (G.M. IU/ml) was higher in women than in men (177.70:68.20-p < 0.01), and in asymptomatic smokers it was higher in men than in women (50.71:33.79-p < 0.01). A larger number of allergens discriminated skin reactivity between the symptomatic and asymptomatic women (grass, tree and weed pollen-p < 0.001; house dust-p < 0.05), than between the symptomatic and asymptomatic men (grass pollen-p < 0.001). The level of IgE < 125 and > 125 IU/ml discriminated significantly the prevalence of persons with KT+ in the group of symptomatic men (80%:27%-p < 0.001) but not in the group of symptomatic women (77%:67% N.S.). BH only partially coincides with KT+ and raised IgE (> 125 IU/ml) in symptomatic subjects (men 20%, women 23%) and in asymptomatic subjects only in men (8%).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sensitivity to latex and other rubber substances--an important occupational risk for health personnel (case report)].

Sensitization to latex and rubber additives has been acknowledged during the last 10 years as a major occupational health problem among health-care workers. In sensitized persons, respiratory and/or skin symptoms may be present. Pathophysiologic mechanisms of senzitisation involve allergic reactions types I and IV (Coombs and Gell). In this case report we described a female health-care worker with sensitization to latex and rubber additives simultaneously present on the skin and in the respiratory system, caused by wearing protective rubber gloves. The complex diagnostic procedure involved in determination of occupational allergic diseases is discussed.

Adult↗