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Biomedical subjects

H Nordman

Publications and source records attributed to H Nordman.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis in the tobacco industry.

A total of 57 subjects who had been exposed to mould dust in the tobacco industry were studied. Their working environment showed exposure to spores of different moulds, and 29 subjects (51%) showed antibodies against one or more of the microbes. Fifteen (26%) had work related respiratory symptoms. Eight (14%) showed slight radiographic pulmonary fibrosis. Spirometry showed a tendency toward restriction and obstruction, especially in small airways. Diffusion capacity was decreased in 18% of the workers. Three clinical cases of typical allergic alveolitis were also found. All this suggests that exposure of spores of different moulds (especially Aspergillus fumigatus) in the manufacture of tobacco products may induce symptoms and signs relating to extrinsic allergic alveolitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Increased activity of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme in progressive silicosis.

The serum activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, EC 3.4.15.1) in 135 male silicosis patients was analyzed. Twenty-eight of the patients had referents matched for silica dust exposure and age but without roentgenographic signs of silicosis. A reference group not exposed to silica dust comprised 34 lumberjacks. The serum mean activity of ACE was higher in silicosis patients (46.6 +/- 12.1 units/L) than in the referents exposed to silica (38.5 +/- 8.1 units/L) or in the lumberjacks (36.6 +/- 9.7 units/L). There was an association between the serum ACE level and the roentgenographic severity of fibrosis. A retrospective side-by-side assessment of roentgenographic progression was made in 49 silicosis patients. The ACE was higher in the 18 patients with progression (50.5 +/- 16.4 units/L) than in those with no progression (41.5 +/- 9.5 units/L). According to the multivariate regression analysis, progression of fibrosis explained the elevation of ACE better than profusion. The results confirm that the serum ACE activity is elevated in silicosis and suggest that the elevation is associated with progression of the disease.

Bronchitis↗
PubMed1984

Atopy and work.

Atopy denotes the exceptional capacity to produce immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibody when exposed to common environmental allergens. The characteristic is frequently used for preemployment screening purposes. Too little attention has, however, been paid to the rationale and the consequences of this practice. Atopy is very common, and so decisions made because of atopy probably affect about a third of the working population. Work-related hypersensitivity symptoms cannot be eradicated by the weeding out of atopics. The intensity of exposure and/or the sensitizing properties of causative agents are often extremely strong in occupational settings and trigger the production of specific IgE antibodies even in nonatopics. Atopy is probably not sufficiently discriminative for screening purposes even in environments where atopics are known to have a greater risk of developing asthma (eg, laboratories with animals). Moreover, weeding out atopics may be used instead of hygienic and technical measures to reduce exposure levels. Separate decisions on medical, as well as legal, grounds may be warranted when a person with atopic symptoms, ie, rhinitis, asthma, or dermatitis, enters a new occupational environment. There is an urgent need for prospective studies in various occupational environments.

Employment↗
PubMed1984

Serum lysozyme concentration in silicosis patients and workers exposed to silica dust.

Lysozyme in serum (LZM, EC 3.2.1.17) was assayed in 135 male patients with silicosis. Twenty-eight of the patients had controls matched for exposure to silica dust, age and sex but with no radiographical signs of silicosis. A reference group without exposure to silica dust was composed of 34 lumberjacks. The mean concentration of serum LZM was higher in silicosis patients (7.8 +/- 2.8 mg/l, n = 28) than in the controls exposed to silica (6.0 +/- 1.7 mg/l, p less than 0.05), or in the lumberjacks (5.7 +/- 2.1 mg/l, p less than 0.01). There was an association between serum LZM concentration and radiographic severity of silicosis, and on a group basis an association of serum LZM concentration with the progression of silicosis. In the multivariate regression analysis the highest regression coefficients were found for progression of small opacities as well as patient age. The results suggest that the elevation of LZM concentration is associated with the progression of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Long-term effects of exposure to sulfur dioxide. Lung function four years after a pyrite dust explosion.

The lung function of 7 men accidentally exposed to sulfur dioxide (SO2) in a pyrite dust explosion was followed for 4 yr. The greatest decrease in forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, and maximal midexpiratory flow was observed 1 wk after the accident. After about 3 months no further decrement occurred. The pattern of spirometric findings was obstructive in 6 and restrictive in 1 of the patients. Four years after the accident a reversible obstruction of the bronchi was still observable in 3. Four patients reacted positively to the histamine challenge test. Two patients either did not respond to bronchodilator or did not react to histamine. The results suggest that bronchial hyperreactivity is a frequent sequela after exposure to high concentrations of SO2. The hyperreactivity may persist for several years.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1983

Increased prevalence of HLA-Aw19 and of the phenogroup Aw19,B18 in advanced silicosis.

The frequencies of HLA antigens in 27 patients with silicosis were compared with those of referents matched for exposure to silica dust, age, and sex, and having no roentgenographic signs of silicosis. A group of 900 blood donors served as an additional reference group. The prevalence of HLA-Aw19 was higher in the silicosis patients (29.6 percent) than in the silica-exposed referents (3.7 percent; p = 0.02). In turn, the frequency of Aw19 in the unexposed population consisting of blood donors (19.6 percent) was higher than that of silica-exposed referents (p = 0.04). Accepting that the prevalences of HLA antigens in the blood donors fairly well describe those of the silica-exposed population, the highest risk of developing advanced fibrosis was associated with the phenotypic combination Aw19,B18 (observed-expected ratio = 17.05; p less than 0.01). The results suggest that HLA-Aw19 and the haplotype Aw19,B18 are, at least in Finnish population, associated with a progression into advanced silicotic fibrosis.

Finland↗
PubMed1982

Respiratory status of stainless steel and mild steel welders.

Eighty-three full-time stainless steel and 29 mild steel welders from one shipyard were examined clinically, and their lung function was measured. The stainless steel welders had used both tungsten inert-gas (low-fume concentration) and manual metal-arc (MMA) (high-fume concentration) welding methods. The individual exposure of the welders was estimated based on the time spent doing MMA welding, the amount of retained contaminants in the lungs (magnetopulmography), and urinary chromium excretion. The results suggest that there is a greater prevalence of small airway disease among shipyard mild steel MMA welders than among stainless steel welders. Among the stainless steel welders the impairment of lung function parameters was associated with the MMA welding method. The type of welding, then, is important when the health hazards of welders are studied, and welders cannot be regarded as a single, homogeneous group.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Blood lead levels in Finnish preschool children.

The blood lead (Pb-B), hemoglobin and hematocrit were measured in 286 Finnish children living in the three largest cities of Finland (n = 172), in rural areas (n = 54) and in a lead smelter area (n = 60). Pb-B was determinated using an atomic absorption spectrophotometric micro method. The precision of the method was good, as was the accuracy tested by an international interlaboratory comparison. The mean Pb-B in urban, rural and lead smelter areas varied between 6.0 - 6.7 microgram/100 ml** (range 3 - 17 microgram/100 ml) and there were no significant differences between the residential areas. The mean values of hemoglobin and hematocrit were in the normal range. The Pb - B values in Finnish children studied were low compared with many international studies but at a similar level as in some recent Scandinavian studies.

Age Factors↗