Respiratory findings in spice factory workers.

The respiratory consequences of working in the spice industry were studied in 92 female spice factory workers (mean age, 36 yr; mean exposure, 12 yr). A control group of 104 female workers employed in a nondusty industry was also studied. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in the exposed than in the control group. In particular, the prevalence of dyspnea (57.6%), chronic cough (22.8%), chronic phlegm and chronic bronchitis (19.6%), nasal catarrh (37.0%), and sinusitis (22.2%) was high when compared to controls (p less than .01). Among spice factory workers, a high prevalence of acute symptoms during the workshift was recorded. Acute reductions in lung function were statistically significant over the workshift for forced vital capacity (FVC), -2.0%; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0), -3.0%; and for maximum expiratory flow rates at 50% (FEF50), -8.3% and at 25% (FEF25), -15.2% measured on maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves. No difference was found in across-shift ventilatory function in workers with or without chronic respiratory symptoms, except for FEF25 (with symptoms, 16.7%; without symptoms, 9.6%). Preshift administration of 40 mg of disodium cromoglycate (DSC) inhaled 15 min before the workshift significantly diminished acute reductions in FEF50 and FEF25 in exposed workers. Monday preshift FEF50 and FEF25 in exposed workers were significantly lower than in control workers (p less than .01), which suggests an early irreversible component to this illness.

[Respiratory function in fur-processing workers]. / Ventilacijska funkcija radnika u preradi krzna.

Forty women employed as furriers in the fur processing industry and a group of 31 control workers were examined. A higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was found among the furriers than among the controls. The differences were statistically significant for chronic cough and sinusitis (P less than 0.01). The highest prevalence in furriers was found for chronic cough (50%), sinusitis (30%), followed by dyspnea (25%), nasal catarrh (20%) and occupational asthma (5%). A large number of workers complained of acute symptoms during work shift. Statistically significant mean acute reductions in ventilatory capacity over the workshift were recorded for FVC (-4.1%), FEV1 (-5.2%) and FEV50 (-6.3%). The furriers demonstrated significantly lower mean measured pre-shift values for FVC and FEV25 (P less than 0.05) when compared with the predicted. Pre-shift administration of 40 mg of Intal considerably diminished acute ventilatory capacity over the work shift.

[Cardiac insufficiency--a rare major symptom of hypothyroidism in an infant]. / Srcana insuficijencija--rijetki vodeci simptom hipotireoze u dojenceta.

A case of hypothyroidism in an infant who was born in an area where screening program was not accepted is presented. The diseases was recognized at the age of 5 months when the infant was admitted to hospital with pericarditis and heart failure - a rare complication in infant hypothyroidism. The possible mechanisms of the heart affection in hypothyroidism are reviewed. The necessity of hypothyroidism screening program is emphasized.

Higher order analytical solutions of water table fluctuations in coastal aquifers.

The groundwater response of coastal aquifers to tidal forcing is described by Laplace's equation coupled with the nonlinear phreatic-free surface boundary condition. Here we describe fluctuations in the water table using two small parameters, extending previous work by proposing an ansatz to compute higher order, semi-analytical solutions. The new solutions are compared with known lower order solutions. The relative difference between the linear solution and higher order solutions can reach up to 30% of the linear solution for shallow beaches. The new solutions exhibit a reduction in the over height of the groundwater fluctuations compared with the lower order solutions. In addition, the super elevation of the water table, both near shore and as the aquifer tends landward, is examined with the inclusion of higher order terms.

[Hydronephrosis: comparison of conservative and surgical treatment]. / Hidronefroza: komparacija konzervativnog i operativnog lijecenja.

OBJECTIVES: Early diagnosis and identification of adequate treatment of children with hydronephrosis. METHODS: Routine ultrasound testing was followed by standard urography and micturacion cystouretrogam among those identified with hydronephrosis. RESULTS: We showed 48 children among whom the ultrasound detected hydronephrosis of various degrees. First group consists of patients with non-obstructive hydronephrosis 18 patients (37.5%); the highest percentage among girls (88.3%), ages 1-5. The cause of hydronephrosis is the vesicoureteral reflux. The second group with obstructive hydronephrosis consists of 30 patients (62.5%), only one of them had obstruction ureterovesical junction. Neonatal boys dominate in this group. 50% of patients from both groups were surgically treated. CONCLUSION: Wide use of ultrasound provided for a significant improvement in diagnosis of urinary-tract anomalies.

Respiratory symptoms and ventilatory capacity in soy bean workers.

Respiratory function was studied in a group of 29 soy workers exposed to soy bean dust produced after extraction of soy oil. The prevalence of all chronic respiratory symptoms was consistently higher in exposed than in control workers, although the differences were not statistically significant. During the Monday work shift there was a significant mean acute across-shift decrease in maximum expiratory flow rates at 50% and 25% vital capacity (FEF50: -6.4%; FEF25: -12.4%). Changes in vital capacity (FVC: -3.6%) and 1-sec forced expiratory volume (FEV1: -2.7%) were smaller, but still statistically significant. There were also statistically significant acute reductions in all ventilatory capacity parameters over the work shift on the following Friday, although the changes were in general smaller than on Monday (except for FEV1). An analysis of Monday preshift values of ventilatory capacity in soy bean workers suggests that exposure to soy bean dust may lead to chronic respiratory impairment in some workers.

Respiratory symptoms and lung function in furriers.

Forty women who had been occupationally exposed in the fur coat manufacturing industry were studied. The mean age was 30 years; mean duration of exposure was 14 years. A group of 31 females who did not work in the furrier industry also was included in the study as the control group. A higher prevalence of all chronic respiratory symptoms was found among furriers when compared with controls; these differences were statistically significant for nasal catarrh (p less than 0.05) and sinusitis (p less than 0.01). Among the furriers, the highest prevalence of respiratory symptoms was recorded for chronic cough in 20 workers (50.0%), followed by sinusitis in 12 (30.0%), dyspnea in 10 (25.0%), and nasal catarrh in 8 workers (20.0%). Among the furriers, two (5.0%) had symptoms characteristic of occupational asthma. Most of the symptomatic furriers complained of acute symptoms during their work shifts. Statistically significant mean reductions in lung function over the work shift were recorded in furriers for forced vital capacity (FVC), -4.1%; one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), -5.2%; and flow rate at 50% vital capacity (FEF50%), -6.3%. Furriers demonstrated significantly lower mean Monday preshift measurements for FVC and flow rate at 25% (FEF25%) (p less than 0.05) when compared with those predicted. Preshift administration (by spinhaler) of 40 mg disodium cromoglycate in three workers reduced the intensity of acute respiratory symptoms and diminished the reductions in ventilatory capacity over the work shift. Data from six additional male workers demonstrated similar findings for symptoms and lung function. Our data suggest that furriers are at risk of developing both acute and chronic respiratory symptoms as well as ventilatory capacity impairment as a result of occupational exposure.

Respiratory symptoms and lung function in hemp workers.

Respiratory symptoms and abnormalities of lung function were studied in 84 female and 27 male hemp workers employed in two textile mills (A and B) processing soft hemp (C sativa). In mill A 46 women and 27 men were investigated and 38 female workers were studied in mill B. Forty nine women and 30 men from a non-dusty industry served as controls. A significantly higher prevalence of almost all chronic respiratory symptoms was found in female hemp workers when compared to control workers. Among the men these differences were significant for nasal catarrh and sinusitis. A high prevalence of byssinosis was found among female hemp workers in both mills (group A, 47.8%; group B, 57.9%) as well as in the male workers (66.7%). Statistically significant across shift reductions in lung function were found for all ventilatory capacity measurements in female and male hemp workers varying from 7.1% for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) to 15.1% for flow rates at 50% vital capacity (FEF50). Measured Monday baseline values before the work shift were significantly lower than expected for hemp workers, being particularly reduced for FEF25 and FEF50. The data suggest that occupational exposure to hemp dust is a significant risk factor for the development of acute and chronic lung disease in workers employed in this textile industry.

Respiratory function in animal food processing workers.

A group of 71 men employed in animal food processing was studied to assess the prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and the presence of lung function abnormalities. In addition, a control group of 55 unexposed men was studied for the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms. A significantly higher prevalence for most of the chronic respiratory symptoms was found among the exposed workers compared to the control workers. Those workers who smoked had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, chronic bronchitis, and chest tightness than the smokers in the control group. For nonsmokers, the differences between exposed and control workers were significant for chronic phlegm and chest tightness. The frequency of acute symptoms associated with the work shift was high among the animal food workers. There were significantly lower measured values for FVC, FEV1, and FEF50 in the exposed group (smokers and nonsmokers) compared to predicted lung function values. In smokers, all measured parameters of ventilatory capacity were significantly less than predicted; for nonsmokers, the FVC and FEV1 were less than normal. Our data indicate that exposure to dust in the animal food industry may be associated with the development of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and the impairment of lung function. Smoking, in this setting, appears to aggravate these changes.

[The frequency of urinary tract infections in hospitalized infants]. / Ucestalost uroinfekcija u hospitalizirane dojencadi.

The authors present the frequency of urinary tract infections in hospitalised infants. A retrospective study of infants hospitalized during a five year period, from 1979-1983 was made. The average frequency for the mentioned period was 12%, all of which were bacterial infections. In 70.7% of patients we diagnosed cytopyelonephritis. Girls prevailed among the patients with urinary tract infections, even in the neonatal period. Vesicoureteric reflux was confirmed in 36.5% children. The results of this study show that the symptoms of urinary tract infections in infancy are not specific. As the frequency of cytopyelonephritis and vesicoureteric reflux was high it emphasizes the significance of early diagnosis. In every febrile child, diagnosis of urinary tract infections should be suspected.

Immunological and respiratory findings in spice-factory workers.

Immunological and respiratory findings were studied in a group of 45 female spice-factory workers (mean age: 39 years; mean exposure: 17 years). In addition a group of 45 female control workers matched by sex, age, and smoking habit were also studied. Intradermal skin testing with mixed spice dust allergen demonstrated positive skin reactions in 73.3% of exposed and in 33.3% of control workers (P less than 0.001). Increased IgE serum levels were found in 36.8% of exposed and in 9.7% of the control workers (P less than 0.01). The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in the exposed workers than in the control workers (P less than 0.01). There was, however, no consistent correlation between skin reactivity and chronic respiratory symptoms. There was a high prevalence of acute symptoms during the work shift. These complaints were more frequent in workers with positive skin tests for the symptoms of cough, chest tightness, and irritated and dry throat. Ventilatory capacity was measured by recording maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves. There were statistically significant mean reductions during the work shift for all measured lung function parameters in workers with positive skin reactions. In those workers with negative skin reactions only FEF50 and FEF25 reached statistical significance. Aqueous extracts of different spices (chilli pepper, paprika, caraway, coriander leaves, coriander seeds, cinnamon, ginger, onion, curry, and parsley) caused a dose-related contractile response of isolated guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle. These data suggest that immunologic reactions to spices are frequent in spice workers and may be related to acute symptoms and lung function changes, but not to chronic changes. The data further suggest that, in addition to any immunologic response these spices may produce in vivo, they probably also provoke direct irritant reactions in the airways as suggested by in vitro data.