Authors
Kim-TJ; Materna-BJ; Prudhomme-JC; Fedan-KB; Enright-PL; Sahakian-N; Windham-G; Kreiss-K
Source
Am J Ind Med 2010 Sep; 53(9):857-865
Abstract
Background: Two cases of bronchiolitis obliterans in flavor manufacturing workers prompted California health and labor agencies to initiate industry-wide surveillance. Methods: Companies' physicians submitted cross-sectional questionnaire and spirometry data for 467 workers in 16 workplaces. We compared prevalence ratios of respiratory symptoms, diagnoses, and abnormal spirometry to a general population sample. We calculated odds ratios for risk factors for spirometric obstructive abnormality. Results: Flavoring workers were 2.7 times more likely than the general population to have severe airways obstruction. Risk factors identified for 18 cases with obstruction from six companies included younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, liquid and powder production work, greater company diacetyl usage, and having a coworker with obstruction. Severity of obstruction was related to tenure. At least 12 workers had probable occupational fixed airways obstruction. Conclusions: The flavoring industry risk of severe lung disease justifies lowering flavoring exposures and medical screening for secondary prevention until worker safety is demonstrated.
Keywords
Food-additives; Food-processing; Food-processing-workers; Respiratory-system-disorders; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Lung-disease; Lung-disorders; Questionnaires; Epidemiology; Statistical-analysis; Demographic-characteristics;
Author Keywords: flavoring; diacetyl; bronchiolitis obliterans; surveillance; occupational lung disease; spirometry
Contact
Kathleen Kreiss, 1095 Willowdale Road, Mailstop-H2800, Morgantown, WV 26505
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
kkreiss@cdc.gov
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
Identifying No.
Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-OH-008468
Source Name
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Performing Organization
Public Health Institute