RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The effects on asthmatics of exposure to a conventional water-based and a volatile organic compound-free paint
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 563
OP 566
DO 10.1183/09031936.97.10030563
VO 10
IS 3
A1 Beach, JR
A1 J Raven
A1 C Ingram
A1 M Bailey
A1 D Johns
A1 EH Walters
A1 M Abramson
YR 1997
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/3/563.abstract
AB The water-based paints now frequently used for house painting still contain small amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with the potential to exacerbate symptoms of asthma. Because of these potential problems and environmental concerns, some manufacturers have produced paints with no VOC content. We wished to compare the effects on asthmatics of conventional water-based paint and the new VOC-free paint. Seventeen asthmatics were recruited on the basis of having previously reported exacerbation of symptoms by paint or other odours. Each undertook a standard painting task with identically coloured conventional acrylic and VOC-free paints in a double-blind, crossover study. Respiratory symptoms, lung function, and airway responsiveness were measured at each visit. A significant increase in reported "wheeze" was detected during use of conventional paint (p<0.01), but not with the new paint. There was also a significantly greater increase in reported "breathlessness" whilst using conventional paint than with the new paint (p<0.05). In contrast, lung function measurements showed a small but significant increase during the use of both paints (p<0.05). There was no significant change in airway responsiveness after use of either paint. The new paint appears to be less likely to cause a worsening of respiratory symptoms than conventional acrylic paint, although this difference is not reflected in measurements of lung function or airway responsiveness. Although the benefit conferred in the majority of asthmatics is probably modest, there may be some patients with an increased sensitivity to paint odour, who would derive a useful symptomatic benefit from using the VOC-free paint.