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Biomedical subjects

M Crippa

Publications and source records attributed to M Crippa.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Occupational skin allergies in 1993-1998].

There are few data on the frequency of occupational allergic dermatitis in the context of occupational diseases and there is a need for coordinated large-scale studies to compare the experiences of different Occupational Health Departments involved in the surveillance of allergic occupational diseases. Therefore 6 Occupational Health Departments of Northern Italy (Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Desio, Lecco and Milano-CEMOC) decided to bring together all the cases of occupational allergic dermatitis diagnosed between 1993 and 1998. In this report the main characteristics of these 961 allergic dermatitis (888 allergic contact dermatitis, 63 urticaria and 10 airborne contact dermatitis), the possible correlations with gender, age, length of employment, atopy and the occupations at high risk of acquiring allergic dermatitis have been described.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Skin disorders and job fitness assessment].

BACKGROUND: Assessment of fitness for employment represents the final phase of the risk evaluation and health surveillance carried out during pre-employment and periodical medical examination. Dermatoses are frequent diseases both in the general population and workers, therefore job fitness assessment for workers with skin problems will frequently fall within the occupational health area. The physician must verify whether or not the dermatosis is an occupational disease and must adopt preventive measures to avoid any worsening or relapse of the clinical situation due to occupational factors. OBJECTIVES: This article gives suggestions for correct management of occupational and non-occupational skin diseases in the workplace, with practical examples of job fitness assessment. METHODS: We first examined the role of the occupational physician in the evaluation of occupational risk factors that can induce work-related dermatoses or aggravate other dermatoses. We then discussed the factors that must be considered during assessment of fitness for employment when dermatoses are present. Finally, we examined practical examples of occupational or non-occupational dermatoses that can cause functional limitations, factors that can influence job fitness evaluation, and the possible role of allergological tests. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Several dermatoses can be aggravated or caused by occupational factors (e.g. atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, keratinization disorders, lichen planus, physical urticaria). Close cooperation between the dermatologist and the occupational physician is very important in order to make an etiological diagnosis that is necessary for the job fitness assessment. It is difficult to define definitive criteria for the assessment of fitness for employment; in this article only some suggestions are made and they can vary according to the different situations.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Protein content of latex gloves used in hospitals].

In this study the total protein content and the latex allergenic protein content in different types of medical gloves commonly used in our hospital were evaluated. The correlation between these two parameters and the correctness of the data provided by the glove manufacturers have been also verified. The main purpose of this study was to acquire information useful for preventing latex allergy in our hospital personnel. 29 different types of medical gloves were examined. The total protein contents were evaluated with Lowry modified method and the allergenic latex protein contents were evaluated with RAST-inhibition assay, both on glove samples and glove extracts. The correlation between inhibition percentages found in glove samples and in glove extracts and the correlation between total protein content and inhibition percentages determined in samples of the same gloves was verified. The highest concentrations of total proteins and allergenic latex proteins were found in examination powdered latex gloves and in surgical powdered latex gloves. A good correlation was observed between the total protein content and the inhibition percentages determined in samples of the same gloves, and between inhibition percentages found in glove samples and glove extracts. A significant amount of latex proteins was found in some brands of nitryl gloves. The clear association between the total protein levels and the allergenic latex protein levels suggests that the gloves with highest total protein content have the greatest allergenic potential. We believe that the total protein content is relevant from a preventive point of view for a proper gloves selection in the workplaces. Therefore, manufacturing companies should provide package inserts including at least the total protein contents and possibly allergenic latex protein levels, with specific measurement methods. Since the highest total protein and allergenic latex protein contents were found in latex powdered gloves, powder-free gloves must be of first choice. RAST-inhibition assays directly on glove samples instead of glove extract seems to be a good reliable and faster alternative for the evaluation of the allergenic potential of latex gloves. For latex allergic subjects it is necessary to pay attention in choosing nitryl gloves, especially as an alternative to natural rubber gloves since some brands may contain significant amounts of allergenic latex proteins.

Allergens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Risk of exposure to metals in the production and processing of copper alloys].

A study was carried out in 3 copper alloy industries: a foundry for scrap of various origin producing brass and bronze alloys (foundry A) and 2 foundries that used these same alloys (foundries B and C). An environmental investigation and biological monitoring of the employees for Pb, ZPP, Cu, Zn, Be, Sb, Mn, Ni and Cr were performed in each foundry. The results of biological and environmental monitoring showed that the Pb exposure levels were distinctly higher than those of the other metals in all 3 foundries. The highest levels of PbA and PbB were observed in foundry A, especially during scrap grinding operations, where the limit values were exceeded. The environmental concentrations and the levels of the biological indicators for all other metals, except Pb, were within reasonable limits. Therefore, in the investigated working situations and for the metals under study, except Pb, it would appear that a situation exists of exposure to "microdoses" which, even though not implying a risk of appearance of the classic signs and symptoms of intoxication, raises the problem of the possibility of identifying early effects and interpreting the biological indicators. Biological monitoring of exposed subjects has shown that the levels of the indicators for Cu, Ni and Cr are markedly different from the reference values on a group basis, whereas in individual workers the values are generally below the "upper limits". A comparison with the "limit values'' was only possible for the biological indicators of Pb; for the others, although differences were observed indicating that absorption had taken place, no univocal interpretation criteria exist, considering also the relatively low mean increases observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alloys↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Intraerythrocyte folates and leukocytic neutrophil segmentation in macrocytosis in patients with liver disease].

The problem of macrocytosis above all concerns deficiences and the study of these aspects is particularly important in hepatopathic patients for therapeutic purposes. A state of deficiency can also be revealed in morphological terms by the assessment of the hypersegmentation of polymorphonucleate neutrophil leucocytes. In the group of hepatopathic patients included in the study there was no significant differences in vitamin B12 concentrations in comparison to normal values, whereas mean levels of serum folates were decreased, although still within the normal range. It is worth underlining that to evaluate vitamin B12 it is necessary to measure analogous inefficient components from a metabolic point of view and the assessment of serum folates is not important as an index of normal erythropoietic activity. To overcome this limitation, we assayed intraerythrocytic folates which are vitamin-B12-dependent and these too proved to be within the normal range. Leucocyte hypersegmentation was also excluded by evaluating the mean of PMN lobes. A clearly normal RDW was also observed in macrocytic anemia in hepatopathic patients and this may represent a further difference from hepatocytic macrocytosis.

Erythrocytes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Multiple occupational exposure to solvents].

This article review papers published over the last 20 years on multiple occupational exposure to solvents. At low-levels of exposure the toxicokinetic interferences between solvents have generally not been observed in man and presumably a threshold limit exists. Conversely, at exposure levels close to the "limit values" metabolic interference has sometimes been observed and the behaviour of the biological indicators differs from what would be expected. Toxicodynamic interference between solvents can give rise to additive, potentiation, synergistic, antagonistic effects. For the identification of "limit values", it has generally been suggested in the literature that the possible effects deriving from multiple exposure be considered as additive. However, numerous potentiation effects have frequently been reported for combined exposure to substances of widespread use. In this paper lists of multiple exposure in which the doses of the substances, the types of interferences and the behaviour of the biological levels have been drawn up and proposed as a tool for easy consultation.

Alcohol Drinking↗