Increase in exhaled nitric oxide in shoe and leather workers at the end of the work-shift

Authors: Mauro Maniscalco¹; Luigi Grieco²; Aniello Galdi²; Jon O. N. Lundberg¹; Matteo Sofia³

Source: Occupational Medicine, Volume 54, Number 6, 1 September 2004 , pp. 404-407(4)

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Occupational Medicine is an international peer-reviewed journal, providing vital information for the promotion of workplace health and safety. Topics covered include work-related injury and illness, accident and illness prevention, health promotion, occupational disease, health education, the establishment and implementation of health and safety standards, monitoring of the work environment, and the management of recognised hazards. Contributions are welcomed from practising occupational health physicians and research workers in related fields.

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Abstract:

Background

Measurement of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air is a non-invasive procedure for assessing airway or pulmonary inflammation, and for evaluating environmental irritant effects of air pollution. The objective of this study was to evaluate exhaled NO levels in synthetic leather workers exposed to organic solvents toluene, xylene and methylethyl ketone.

Methods

Seventeen shoe and leather workers and 10 controls from administrative personnel of the factory were studied. The levels of exhaled NO at baseline and at the end of the work shift were measured using a standardizedchemiluminescence technique. Environmental assay of the three solvents was also assessed during the working day.

Results

Environmental solvent concentrations were high but within permissible exposure levels. Exhaled NO concentrations increased by 40% in the leather workers at the end of the working day from a mean ± SD of 9.1 ± 1.3 p.p.b. to 12.8 ± 1.7 p.p.b. (P < 0.02),as compared to the controls.

Conclusion

Exhaled NO is increased in shoe and leather workers exposed to solvents at the end of work shift, while it does not change in unexposed subjects of the same factory. Exhaled NO may be a sensitive tool to monitor sub-clinical effects of occupational pro-inflammatory substances.

Keywords: Exhaled; leather; nitric oxide; solvent; workers

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqh082

Affiliations: 1: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Karolinska Institute Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden. 2: Department of Occupational Medicine, University ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy. 3: Department of Respiratory Medicine, A.O. Monaldi, University ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy.