["Radiomedical advice service"].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to O Lyngenbo.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Among 701 Copenhagen plumbers we examined the lung function of 23 never smokers, who had removed asbestos insulation and intermittently been exposed to high levels of asbestos for about 25 years without being exposed to welding fume. The plumbers had significantly lower TLC, MEF25, MEF50, closing volume and closing capacity in comparison to 23 never smoking electricians without asbestos exposure. There was no reduction in TLCO. Pulmonary clearance of aerosolized 99mTc-DTPA was normal indicating that the asbestos had not induced increases in pulmonary epithelial permeability. However, in 11 of the 23 plumbers the 99mTc-DTPA ventilation scintigrams had a slightly irregular and spotty appearance, which together with the results of the lung function tests are suggestive of small airways' dysfunction. None of the subjects had symptoms or clinical signs of lung disease.
In order to study the effect of welding fumes on lung function, 74 high-exposed welders and 31 age-matched electricians were examined in 1982. None had ever smoked tobacco or been exposed to known or potentially noxious agents to the lungs. A significant difference was found between the welders and the control group in vital capacity, total lung capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, peak expiratory flow rate, maximal expiratory flow rate at 75% of vital capacity, diffusion capacity and slope of the alveolar plateau. The lungs of the welders were physiologically 10-15 years older than those of the control group. Thirty percent of the welders had a well defined respiratory disease. Their lung function impairment was predominantly obstructive (16 persons), but restrictive patterns were also seen (6 persons).
In order to study the effect of welding fumes on respiratory symptoms a cross sectional study was performed in 1982 among 2,660 welders, primarily shipyard welders, compared with a control group of 881 electricians. Only workers more than 34 years of age and in work at the time of the study were selected. Information about respiratory symptoms (using standardized BMRC questions) and exposure was obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. Seventy-four never-smoking welders and 31 never-smoking controls were selected for detailed clinical interviews and extended lung function tests. This article presents the results of the questionnaire study. The welders showed a significantly higher prevalence of chronic bronchitis: 21% versus 9% in the control group (p less than 0.01). The difference could neither be explained by differences in age or smoking habits nor by exposure to other air polluting substances. Other symptoms from the lower and upper respiratory system were also significantly increased among the welders. A dose-response relationship was found between exposure to welding fumes and the prevalence of symptoms from both the upper and lower respiratory system.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The net thoracic magnetic moment of 58 highly exposed nonsmoking shipyard welders and 13 unexposed nonsmoking electricians was measured with an alternating current susceptibility bridge. The welding cohort exhibits a thorax magnetic moment, which on the average is less diamagnetic than that of the controls. This shift is consistent with a median lung burden of 110 mg Fe3O4, or 220 mg of the welding fumes characteristic for shipyard exposures. Among welders with 5+ yr of exposure, there is a slight but statistically significant correlation (r = 0.49) (p less than .0001) between inferred lung burden and lifetime occupational exposure. Although chronic bronchitis incidence and average lung function parameter values of the welders are different from those of the nonexposed cohort, respiratory status does not correlate further with either self-reported exposure or measured lung retention.