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KMID : 0381319920310030087
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Korean Journal of Occupational Health
1992 Volume.31 No. 3 p.87 ~ p.97
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Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Function of Workers Exposed to Toluene Diisocyanate in Furniture Industries
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Cho Won-Il
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Abstract
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Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) has been well known to be one of the occupational asthmogenic agent. Recently, TDI-induced occupational asthma draws attention in Korea in accordance with increased case reports.
This study was designed to investigete the asthma-like respiratory symptoms prevalence in the past history as well as pulmonary function changes between the shift of the 129 workers, who did not have respiratory diseases including asthma, and
were
occupationally exposed to TDI working at 5 wood furniture industries. One hundred and thirty-one clerks of the same factories were participated as contol group. Questionnaires on the detailed occupational history and respiratory symptoms were
administered by 3 doctors, and pulmonary function test was given by a trained technician.
TDI concentration in the 8 (26%) working sites showed tobe exceeded 0.005 ppm among the 31 working sites (26/129 (18%) workers) including polyurethane spray booths and flow coater painting rooms. Significantly increased respiratory symptom
prevalences
were found in the TDI exposed workers copmparing to control group No exposure-effect relationship was found regarding symptom prevalences. We did not find decreased lung functions among TDI exposed group in comparing with control group before the
shift
Significant decrease of lung functions (FVC (forced vital capacity), FEV10 (fared expiratrty volume in one second), FEF 25-75% (maximal mid-expiratory folw), PEF (peak expiratory flow )) were found between before and after the shift in the in the
TDI
exposed group Particularly, decrement of FEF25-75% in the high exposure (≥0.005 ppm) group was significantly larger than that in the low exposure (≥0.005 ppm) group, and that of FEV10 was marginally signifioant. Differences of pulmonary
functions
between the shift were not affected by working duration or smoking There was no significant associations between respiratory symptoms and the decreased lung functions between the shift.
This study indicated that occupational exposure to TDI can induce respiratory symptoms without overt bronchial asthma or impaired lung functions in the healthy workers, and TDI exposure during the shift may give rise to acute reversible decrease
of
pulmonary functions.
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