cryolite and Asthma

Aluminum potroom asthma (PA) has been described in several reports. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood eosinophils and PA.. In a cross-sectional study, 338 workers were examined as follows: spirometry, blood eosinophils, skin prick test, and work exposure measurements. They also completed a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, smoking, allergy, and duration of work exposure.. The odds ratio for PA was 4.2 (95% confidence interval 1.5-9.7) for workers with eosinophils > or =400 x 10(6) cells/L compared with workers with eosinophils <200 x 10(6) cells/L. In non-smokers, the number of eosinophils was 177 x 10(6) cells/L (P < 0.001) higher among workers with PA than asymptomatic workers, whereas the corresponding difference among current smokers was only 63 x 10(6) cells/L (P = 0.03).. The prevalence of PA was positively associated with blood eosinophils. An attenuation of the blood eosinophil increase was observed in smoking asthmatics, suggesting an immune-modulating effect of smoking.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Airway Obstruction; Aluminum Compounds; Aluminum Oxide; Asthma; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dust; Eosinophilia; Eosinophils; Female; Fluorides; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Intradermal Tests; Leukocyte Count; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Odds Ratio; Smoking; Sodium Fluoride; Statistics as Topic; Vital Capacity