Dermatitis de contacto a acrilatos en una industria de fabricación de ascensores. A propósito de 8 casos / Contact Dermatitis Caused by Acrylates Among 8 Workers in an Elevator Factory

Introducción: Los acrilatos son sustancias químicas de bajo peso molecular, con una amplia utilización en la industria (desde su introducción en los años treinta), la medicina y el medio doméstico, que destacan por sus propiedades de polimerización. Los compuestos acrílicos más utilizados son los cianoacrilatos, los metacrilatos y los acrilatos. Objetivo: Establecer el diagnóstico de sospecha de enfermedad profesional en un grupo de trabajadores de una fábrica de ascensores. Material y métodos: Se estudian un total de 8 pacientes que presentan clínica de dermatitis en las manos, así como pulpitis en los dedos, y que trabajan en contacto con acrilatos. Se realizaron pruebas epicutáneas con batería de acrilatos (BIAL-Aristegui, Bilbao, España). Resultados: El 87,5% mostró positividad frente al dimetacrilato de etilenglicol al 1%. También mostraron positividad el hidroxietilmetacrilato al 2% (62,5%), el dimetacrilato de trietilenglicol al 1% (50%), el monómero de metil metacrilato al 10% (25%) y el monómero de etil metacrilato al 10% (37,5%), el acrilato de etilo al 1% (12,5%) y el ácido acrílico al 0,1% (12,5%). Conclusiones: Destacamos el alto poder sensibilizante de los acrilatos y la importancia de extremar las medidas preventivas en las distintas industrias, así como la evitación del contacto con el producto en los casos de sensibilización demostrada (AU)

Introduction: Acrylates are widely used low-molecular-weight substances, initially introduced in industry in the 1930s and subsequently applied also in medicine and the home. One of their main features is the ability to undergo polymerization. The most commonly used acrylic compounds are cyanoacrylates, methacrylates, and acrylates. Objective: To confirm suspicion of occupational disease in a group of workers in an elevator factory. Material and methods: We studied 8 patients with dermatitis of the hands and finger pads. In their work, the patients came into contact with acrylates. Patch testing was applied with an acrylate panel (BIAL-Aristegui, Bilbao, Spain). Results: Seven of the patients (87.5%) had a positive result with 1% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Positive results were also observed for 2% hydroxyethyl methacrylate (5 patients, 62.5%), 1% triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (4 patients, 50%), 10% ethyl methacrylate monomer (3 patients, 37.5%), 10% methyl methacrylate monomer (2 patients, 25%), 1% ethyl acrylate (1 patient, 12.5%), and 0.1% acrylic acid (1 patient, 12.5%). Conclusions: We highlight the strong sensitizing capacity of acrylates and the importance of taking all necessary preventive measures in industries where these substances are used. Such measures should include avoidance of contact with the product in cases where sensitization has been confirmed (AU)

Inhibition of function of T cell subpopulations and decrease in cytokine production during subacute poisoning with various toxicants.

Experiments on outbred albino rats showed that subacute intoxication with organophosphorus compounds dimethyldichlorovinyl phosphate and malathion primarily decreased functional activity of Th1 lymphocytes, immune reactions associated with these cells, and interferon-g production compared to that of Th2 lymphocytes and interleukin-4 synthesis. Acrylic acid nitrile and methanol produced the opposite effect. Sulfur mustard and sodium arsenite were equally potent in reducing the function of Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes and production of cytokines.

A fatal laboratory accident with toxic gases inhalation.

Three university students were exposed to toxic vapours (acryloyl chloride 96% and methacrylic anhydride 94%) in a laboratory accident. They all gave a history of minimal exposure and presented with mild symptoms. One patient died on the same day. The other two cases were uneventful. This paper reports on these three cases, followed by a discussion on irritant gas intoxication.

[Mutagenic and cytotoxic effects of acrylates]. / Mutagennyi i tsitotoksicheskii éffekt akrilatov.

Increasing amount of fructose-1-phosphate aldolase activity in rat blood serum and induction of chromosomal aberrations in rat bone marrow cells were observed after injection of acrylamide. The cytotoxic activity of acrylamide in rat depended on the dose. Methylmethacrylate and butyl methacrylate demonstrated no such activity.

Allergic contact dermatitis from ultraviolet cured inks. Allergic contact sensitization to acrylates.

Eight men employed in the manufacture of ultraviolet cured inks developed allergic contact dermatitis predominantly on the exposed areas. Patch testing revealed sensitization to trimethylol propane triacrylate in seven employees, to 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate in six employees, to pentaerythritol triacrylatylate in four employees and to epoxy acrylate oligomers in three employees. Either cross-sensitization or concomitant sensitization may have accounted for the multiple reactions in several employees. One sensitized employee was patch tested with four different commercially available epoxy acrylate oligomers and reacted only to two, suggesting that variations possibly in chain length between these oligomers are important variables in the allergic reactions. The polyfunctional acrylic monomers and certain epoxy acrylate oligomers should be handled carefully to avoid the development of allergic contact dermatitis.

[Morphologic studies on the effect of acrylnitrile in subchronic intoxication experiments in the white rat]. / Morphologische Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Acrylnitril im subchronischen Intoxikationsversuch bei der weissen Ratte

100 female and male white rats were treated with acrylnitrile using 4 various dosages. It was our practice to give orally acrylnitrile in physiological sodium chloride solution by probang, and the treatment was continued for 69 days from Monday to Friday in the week. After the treatment with acrylnitrile from the 70th day the animals were killed in intervals. Blood of orbital venous plexus was analysed by electrophoresis for determination of serum proteins, and organs were investigated histologically. It has been shown that of all organs the greatest alterations have been found in livers, kidneys and lungs. Taking by surprise our studies indicated that the application of 1/16 LD50 acrylnitrile dosage cause greater morphological damages in liver than those applications of higher concentrations in other groups.

Motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity in the baboon: normal values and changes during acrylamide neuropathy.

Nerve conduction velocity and the amplitude of nerve and muscle action potentials have been measured in the median and anterior tibial nerves of normal adult and infant baboons. The effect of altered temperature on velocity has also been investigated. Seven adult baboons were intoxicated with acrylamide. In animals given 10-15 mg/kg/day, the gradual development of a peripheral neuropathy was accompanied by a decline in the amplitude of both muscle and nerve action potentials. There was also a gradual fall in conduction velocity. In some cases maximal motor velocity in the median nerve fell by as much as 34%, and in the anterior tibial nerve by as much as 49%, the largest falls being seen in animals showing the greatest reductions in response amplitude. Histological studies, reported elsewhere, have shown that the main pathological change in our animals was a degeneration of the peripheral nerves, with little demyelination. Fibre diameter histograms indicated that large fibres were particularly severely affected, and it seems likely that the reduced maximal conduction velocities were due to this selective loss of large-diameter fibres.