Performance of Neurobehavioral Tests Among Welders Exposed to Manganese / 대한산업의학회지

To study neurobehavioral effects for manganese fume exposure of welders, we administrated questionnaire about subjective symptom, related with manganese exposure. Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery of World Health Qrganization(NCTB) and finger tapping for 98 welders and 29 non-welding workers. We adopted welding duration as a criterion for exposure assessment, because of the lack of the longitudinal valid data and differences in airborne concentrations of manganese in welding types, such as shielded metal arc and CO2 arc welding. Neurologic, musculoskeletal and concentration symptoms were significantly increased by increase of welding duration. Performance of finger tapping preferred hand, Santa Ana dexterity test preferred hand and correct number of pursuit aiming were significantly decreased by increase of welding duration. These results comparable with previous studies that suggest neurobehavioral test, especially motor test, to be an appropriate tool to detect early neurobehavioral abnormalities related with manganeses exposure.

Factors Associated with Psychoneurobehavjral Outcomes in Workers Exposed to Manganese / 대한산업의학회지

The risk posed to human health by environmental manganese (Mn) exposure is unknown. The purpose of this study is to establish if subclinical effects related to Mn exposure and examine the factors influencing psychoneurobehaviral outcomes of Mn exposed workers. This study involved 121 male workers of welding, alloy furnace, and manufacturing of welding stick. Study investigations include: a questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, job and exposure history and medical symptoms and conditions, monitoring workplace air for personal exposure to respirable and inhalable manganese, analysis of blood and urine samples. psychoneurobehaviral test(neurobehaviral core test battery (NCTB), signal change on magnetic resonance imaging (MRJ) scans, minimental state and neurological examination). The main results of this study were as follows: 1. Preliminary results showed that, with increasing manganese exposure, neurobehaviral performance was poorer and signal change on MRI scans increased. 2. The results of examination revealed significant relations on psychoneurobehaviral out-comes (neurobehaviral performance, signal change on MRI scans, and neurological features). 3. In multiple regression, age and educational status as demographic variables and exposure level were significantly related to 4neurobehaviral test. Also exposure level and serum Mn concentrations were positively relatel to signal change on MRI scans and neurological features affected by Mn on the brain (signal change). 4. Psychoneurobehaviral outcomes from Mn exposure were related to neurobehaviral performance, signal change on MRJ scans, neurological features and profile of mood states (POMS), and influnced positively with age, alcohol and smoking history, and duration of Mn exposure, negatively with educational status. Serum Mn concentrations in combination with brain MRI scans, and perhaps a battery of neurobehaviral tests, appear to be the best way to monitor excessive exposure to Mn. These results are consistent with our knowledge on Mn action on the brain and are similar to the type of neurobehaviral dysfunction. They suggest that there may be age, educational status, and life style (alcohol and drinking history) differences with chronic environmental exposure. These findings suggest further evaluation, particularly on relationships between Mn exposure, aging, and susceptibility factors.

Polyneuropathy by Occupational Exposure to Acrylamide / 대한산업의학회지

Authors report a first Korean case of polyneuropathy in an acrylamide producing factory together with an environmental and epidemiologic survey for the ten workers of the same workplace and 46 workers in the production and manufacturing acrylamide in Ulsan, Korea. The case is 30 years old man who worked in the prcduction of the acrylamide for two years. In August, 1997, he had a weakness of the lower extremity with loss of body weight of 15 Kg which progressed to paresthesia of the limbs, the loss of vibration sense, difficulty in walking, speech disturbance, dysuria, constipation, difficulty in erection and swallowing difficulty. Neurologic examination showed a complete loss of vibration and position sense, and loss of deep tendon reflex in all the limbs. There was a contact dermatitis-like skin lesion on the feet. Electrodiagnostic test showed a generalized polyneuropathy of moderate degree involving motor and sensory component of peripheral and cranial nerves. After 8 months' cessation from exposure and supportive care, his symptoms were completely resolved, but abnormality in electrodiagnostic test and vibrotactile perception threshold still persisted, although much improved than before. There were 11 workers in the same workplace of the case, producing acrylamide by microorganism as a catalyst. Environmental monitoring of the workplace revealed air-borne concentration of the acrylamide to be from 0.05 to 0.23 mg/m(3) by personal sampling and from 7.65 to 11.65 mg/m(3) by area sampling during filter exchanging process, which far exceeds TLV-TWA of 0.03 mg/m(3). However acrylamide was not detected from the plasma of the workers. Symptom questionnaire showed a markedly higher complain of neurologic symptoms, compared to the workers of the other acrylamide producing companies. Electrodiagnostic test showed a several workers are in the lower normal range without definite abnormality. Vibrotactile perception threshold by Vibratron II showed a significantly increased threshold in the workers of the same workplace compared to the other acrylamide workers and significantly decreased test score of color vision compared to normal controls. After improvement of the production process and strict wearing of the protective device, most workers reported the improvement of clinical symptoms, but vibrotactile perception threshold was not improved. These result suggests the need for the effective environmental monitoring together with a periodic biological monitoring. Development of effective screening test is urgently needed to control and assess the skin absorption of acrylamide.

Contact dermatitis among male workers exposed to metalworking fluids / 예방의학회지

In an epidemiological study of metal workers exposed to metalworking fluids(MWF), the prevalence time of evoultion, seasonal occurrence and clinical type of contact dermatitis were investigated. Composinal analyses of MWF with HPLC, dermatological examination and two consecutive questionnaire surveys were conducted. Study population was divided into two groups ; workers contact to cutting oil and workers contact to rust preventive oil. In the analysis of MWF, aliphatic hydrocarbons, having 12-20 carbons, was most common composition(49.04%) of cutting oil otherwise, major contents (90.99%) of the rust preventives oil were aliphatic hydrocarbons composed of 6-9 carbons. The frequency (point prevalence) of contact dermatitis(CD) was 7(12.7 per 100 subjects) in the dermatological examination of 55 workers. As the result of second survey for contact dermatitis, cumulative prevalence of oil working full-time and recent 1 year prevalence in two groups were 28.0, 16.7 and 15.1, 12.5 per 100 subjects. There were no difference in the prevalence of CD by oil, age, oil contact duration. Summer is the most common evolution season in workers exposed to cuttiogs, but not in workers exposed to rust preventive oil. Major clinical type of CD was erythematous papules in both groups. It presents the importance of preventive measures that 51.1% suffer from contact dermatitis had medical care at their own expense, and 47.1% of them felt serious about their contact dermatitis. From the fact that 68.6% think cotton gloves protective apparatus, we emphasize the need for health education.