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Gas and dust exposure in underground construction is associated with signs of airway inflammation

¹ Selmer ASA, Oslo, Norway, ² Dept of Thoracic Medicine, National Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway, ³ National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway and ⁴ Dept of Otorhinolaryngology, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

CORRESPONDENCE: B. Ulvestad, Selmer ASA, P.b. 1175 Sentrum, N-0107, Oslo, Norway. Fax: 47 22 20 88 30

Keywords: acoustic rhinometry, airway inflammation, exhaled nitric oxide, dust and gas exposure

Received: July 3, 2000
Accepted September 14, 2000

The work was financially supported by the Working Environment Fund of the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry.

Exposure to gases and dust may induce airway inflammation. It was hypothesized that heavy construction workers who had been exposed to dust and gases in underground construction work for 1 yr, would have early signs of upper and lower airway inflammation, as compared to outdoor workers.

A study group comprising 29 nonsmoking underground concrete workers (mean± sd age 44±12 yrs), and a reference group of 26 outdoor concrete workers (39±12 yrs) were examined by acoustic rhinometry, nasal and exhaled nitric oxide spirometry and a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Exposure measurements were carried out.

The underground workers had higher exposure to total and respirable dust, -quartz and nitrogen dioxide than the references (p<0.001). The occurrence of respiratory symptoms was higher in the underground workers than in the references (p<0.05). Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) (geometric mean±sem) was higher in the underground workers than in the references (8.4±1.09 versus 5.6±1.07 parts per billion (ppb), p=0.001), whereas spirometric values were comparable. The underground workers had smaller nasal cross-sectional area and volume than the references, and more pronounced increases after decongestion (p<0.001).

To conclude the exposure in underground construction may cause nasal mucosal swelling and increased levels of exhaled nitric oxide, indicating signs of upper and lower airway inflammation.