Ten years of contact allergy from acrylic compounds in an occupational dermatology clinic.

BACKGROUND: Contact allergy from acrylic compounds is a "hot topic". Knowledge on the exact chemical composition of acrylic products is superficial. AIMS: To retrospectively describe patients with allergic reactions to acrylic compounds. METHODS: We included patients who had been tested with acrylate patch test series and displayed allergic reactions to at least one acrylic compound. Chemical analyses were often performed when safety data sheets of implicated products failed to reveal acrylic compounds to which the patient tested positive. RESULTS: In 2010-2019 a total of 55 patients met the inclusion criteria. Eight cases of allergic contact dermatitis were due to anaerobic sealants, seven to dental products, three to windscreen glues, seven to eyelash glues and/or nail products in the beauty sector, three to UV-cured printing inks, two to paints/lacquers, and one to polyester resin system. The origin of these contact allergies was occupational with the exception of four beauty sector workers who had developed eyelid symptoms from eyelash extensions glued onto their own eyelashes. We invariably detected methacrylate monomers in 15 chemical analyses of 12 different anaerobic sealants. CONCLUSIONS: Safety data sheets of anaerobic sealants often lack warnings for skin sensitization, although these products regularly contain sensitizing methacrylates.

Microbial Growth on the Nails of Direct Patient Care Nurses Wearing Nail Polish.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether nurses wearing nail polish pose a greater infection risk to patients than nurses who are not wearing nail polish. SAMPLE & SETTING: 89 direct patient care oncology nurses at a large midwestern National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. METHODS & VARIABLES: The investigators assigned participants' three middle fingers of their dominant hand to three groups. RESULTS: Comparison of colony-forming units revealed that one-day-old polish exhibited fewer gram-positive microorganisms than the unpolished nail (p = 0.04). The four-day-old polish showed significantly more microorganisms than the one-day-old polish (p = 0.03). The same trend was demonstrated for gram-negative microorganisms, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.3 and p = 0.17, respectively). IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The results should be interpreted and applied to expert nursing practice in the care of vulnerable patient populations. Each institution and practitioner should make their own decisions and interpretation of evidence into practice.

Influences of heat seal lacquer thickness on the quality of blister packages.

A sealability of aluminium lidding foils against formable polymer materials of blister packages is usually achieved by a coating of aluminium with certain grammages of heat seal lacquers. To investigate influences of their thickness on quality of blister packages, lidding foils with different grammages of two lacquer types were manufactured. Sealing experiments (variation of temperature, pressure and sealing time) were performed. Sealed seam strengths were determined with mechanical tensile tests, tightness of cold form blisters were analysed by means of helium leakage tests. Time-dependent moisture uptake of stored blisters was monitored with micro-gas chromatography. By means of a simple calculation model the permeability coefficients of the heat seal lacquers were determined. Lidding foils with higher lacquer grammages showed significantly greater sealed seam strengths. Helium leakage tests showed only slight effects of heat seal lacquer grammage on tightness of blisters. But cold form blisters with lidding foils of higher lacquer grammages showed a significantly greater moisture uptake. Since the heat seal lacquers and the rigid polyvinyl chloride of the formable aluminium compound foils had similar permeability coefficients, the contribution of the lacquers to the total permeability of the investigated cold form blisters was only slightly.

[Values of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin after chemical exposure in the workplace]. / Szénhidrátszegény transzferrinvizsgálat eredményei munkahelyi vegyszer-expozíció után.

UNLABELLED: Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) examinations have been used with those people who regularly consume more than 60 gr. of alcohol in a day, especially in cases of medical insurance. In these cases the CDT provides information even 2-3 weeks later. AIM OF THE STUDY: In adequate literature there are not many informations concerning the CDT values in individuals using chemicals. This is why these cases are interesting for demonstration. CASE REPORT: In the first case the examination of CDT was carried out one month after using the chemical material -- nitro-based lacquer -- and its value was increased. In the other case an agricultural man worked on a tractor spreading plant-protecting chemicals. Six months after finishing this type of work similar results were found: highly increased value of CDT. CONCLUSION: As both these people were documented to be abstinent for alcoholic beverages, it is rather likely that the values of CDT can be the signal of increased chemical exposure. With the proceeding of the CDT examinations it is necessary to look forward to the potentials of the revealing of the chemical exposure. The authors suggest that the CDT value in workers with chemical exposure can show the pathological changes caused by these substances.

Occupational exposure to airborne solvents during nail sculpturing.

This study describes occupational exposure to acrylates and other solvents during nail sculpturing, including comparative measurements of the exposure using four different sculpturing methods: The acrylic method, the UV-gel method, the acrylic powder method and the resin method. Thirty-two nail technicians working in 22 different salons participated in the study. In total, 92 measurements were performed, comprising 70 solvent measurements and 22 measurements of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate. The solvents most frequently present in all samples were acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and n-butyl acetate, measured in 96%, 94%, 91% and 81% of the samples, respectively. The study shows that the overall solvent exposure was low, with all measurements calculated as the additive effect (n = 70) below 20% of the OEL (arithmetic mean 0.06 and range 0.01-0.19). No statistically significant difference between sculpturing methods were observed (p = 0.05).

Eyelid dermatitis: a report of 215 patients.

Between April 2001 and October 2003, 215 persons presented with eyelid dermatitis for the first time. They ranged in age from 4 months to 95 years, with an average age of 49.6 years and a median age of 51 years. There were 173 females and 42 males. 165 of 215 had allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and another 9 had protein contact dermatitis without relevant positive patch tests. Atopic eczema comprised 37 of 215 (17%), but 33 of 37 also had contact allergies. Seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or both were found in 35 (16%). Sources of ACD included personal care products in 54 (25%), including 12 with at least 1 positive patch test to cosmetic applicators and 12 sensitive to at least 1 botanical ingredient. Allergy to artificial nails and/or nail lacquer occurred in 18 of 215 (8%). 5 persons had rosacea or periorbital dermatitis, and 2 had dermatomyositis. Other causes included bacterial, fungal and viral infections, some of which were quite unusual. The evaluation of persons presenting with eyelid dermatitis remains a relatively complex but rewarding discipline.

Parental occupational exposures to chemicals and incidence of neuroblastoma in offspring.

To evaluate the effects of parental occupational chemical exposures on incidence of neuroblastoma in offspring, the authors conducted a multicenter case-control study, using detailed exposure information that allowed examination of specific chemicals. Cases were 538 children aged 19 years who were newly diagnosed with confirmed neuroblastoma in 1992-1994 and were registered at any of 139 participating hospitals in the United States and Canada. One age-matched control for each of 504 cases was selected through random digit dialing. Self-reported exposures were reviewed by an industrial hygienist, and improbable exposures were reclassified. Effect estimates were calculated using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for child's age and maternal demographic factors. Maternal exposures to most chemicals were not associated with neuroblastoma. Paternal exposures to hydrocarbons such as diesel fuel (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 2.6), lacquer thinner (OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.6, 7.8), and turpentine (OR = 10.4; 95% CI: 2.4, 44.8) were associated with an increased incidence of neuroblastoma, as were exposures to wood dust (OR = 1.5; 95% CI: 0.8, 2.8) and solders (OR = 2.6; 95% CI: 0.9, 7.1). The detailed exposure information available in this study has provided additional clues about the role of parental occupation as a risk factor for neuroblastoma.

[Assessment of hearing impairment in workers exposed to mixtures of organic solvents in the paint and lacquer industry]. / Ocena uszkodzen sluchu u pracowników narazonych na mieszaniny rozpuszczalników organicznych w przemysle farb i lakierów.

Clinical and experimental studies indicate a possible harmful effect of chemicals, especially organic solvents, on the hearing system. In combined exposure to noise and solvents, very common in industry, it is most likely that a synergetic action of these factors enhances the traumatising effect of exposure to noise. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and the risk of hearing impairment in 117 paint and lacquer factory workers exposed to a mixture of organic solvents. An analysis of organic solvent mixtures reveals that xylene and ethyl acetate are their major components whose concentrations depend on individual workposts. The control group consisted of 76 workers exposed to noise exceeding, Threshold Limit Value and 125 healthy subjects exposed neither to noise nor to solvents in their occupational setting. Pure tone audiometry revealed the highest hearing thresholds in workers exposed to solvents, lower thresholds in those exposed to noise, and the lowest ones in the non-exposed individuals. Hearing loss was found in 30% of workers exposed to organic solvents, in 20% of noise-exposed subjects, and in only 6% of non-exposed subjects. The comparison of relative risk values also indicated significantly enhanced probability of hearing impairment in workers of the paint and lacquer factory (9.6; 3.2-25.6), which is even more strongly pronounced than in the group of subjects exposed to noise (4.2; 1.2-13.2). An analysis of hearing impairment risk in particular frequencies suggests that organic solvents may damage the inner ear in much greater extent than noise. The results of the study show that exposure to organic solvents may create a significant risk of hearing impairment. Therefore, further steps should be taken to include the exposed population into effective preventive programmes.

The chemoprotective effect of coenzyme Q on lipids in the paint and lacquer industry workers.

The influence of coenzyme Q on the lipid parameters in the paint and lacquer industry workers is presented. The examinations were carried out in the group of 24 workers employed at the paint and lacquer production, who received coenzyme Q10 as a chemoprotective agent. Serum concentration of basic lipid parameters: total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TG); lipid peroxidation products: malonyldialdehyde (MDA) together with 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and two antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were examined. The above parameters were measured in workers exposed to organic solvents and then after 4 weeks of coenzyme Q treatment. In order to explain, whether the occupational exposure is responsible for the changed level of some parameters, the reference group, not employed in the paint and lacquer industry, was used. The results indicated that the preliminary blood serum concentration of MDA + 4-HNE in workers exposed to organic solvents was significantly elevated in comparison to the control group. Statistically significant decrease in MDA + 4HNE concentration was observed after coenzyme Q treatment what lead to the conclusion that coenzyme Q could be considered as a protective agent against lipid peroxidation in occupational exposure. The changes in other parameters were statistically insignificant.

Occupational dermatitis to ultraviolet-cured acrylic-based inks in computer hard disc manufacturing.

OBJECTIVE: Ultraviolet-cured acrylates and their various components and applications are reviewed in this report. METHODS: A 26-year-old woman involved in silk screening computer discs with ultraviolet-cured inks developed an acute allergic contact dermatitis on her hands and forearms. Patch testing revealed a number of strong reactions to epoxy resin and many multifunctional acrylates. RESULTS: The only one listed on the material safety data sheet to which she reacted was tripropyleneglycol diacrylate (TRPGDA). The other positive reactions likely represent cross-reactions. The positive reaction to epoxy is possibly relevant and attributable to nonhardened epoxy resin contaminant in the epoxy prepolymer. CONCLUSION: This case report shows a new application for ultraviolet-cured acrylate based inks in computer hard disc manufacturing.

A study of dermatitis in the lacquerware industry.

Contact dermatitis from lacquer has been documented. The causative agent is a resin from a lacquer tree that can induce either irritation or sensitization. Thai and Japanese lacquer trees are 2 distinct species but are both members of the Anacardiaceae family. We report 3 cases of contact dermatitis from Thai lacquer resin. Observation and study of the lacquer plantation and working process at the factory were made to elucidate the aetiology of the dermatitis.

[Occupational exposure to paint, lacquer and solvents, and cancer risk in the area of the upper aero-digestive tract]. / Berufliche Exposition gegenüber Farben, Lacken und Lösungsmitteln und Krebsrisiko im Bereich des oberen Aerodigestivtraktes.

So far, only few studies exist that have investigated the influence of occupational exposure to paint and lacquer on the risk of cancer in the upper aerodigestive tract. Based on data from the Heidelberg case control study which enrolled 369 patients with carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract and 1476 randomized control subjects, the relative risk of head and neck cancer in patients exposed to paint, lacquer and varnish was analyzed. The relative risk (RR) of squamous cell cancer (after adjustment for possible alcohol and tobacco effects) was significantly increased for the larynx (RR = 2.3) and the oral cavity (RR = 3.6). However, this risk was not increased for the pharynx. Our findings and a critical analysis of the literature provide evidence that chronic exposure to paint, varnish and lacquer is a definite risk factor for cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract. Further studies are required to confirm these findings, and to identify more precisely toxic substances encountered in the workplace.

Occupational dermatoses from exposure to epoxy resin compounds in a ski factory.

Of 22 workers in a ski factory, occupational allergic contact dermatitis was found in 8. 6 were sensitive to epoxy resin compounds, i.e., epoxy resins, hardeners or diluents, 1 to cobalt in glass-fiber reinforcements, and 1 to formaldehyde in a urea-formaldehyde glue and a lacquer. 4 workers had irritant contact dermatitis from epoxy resin compounds, lacquers, sanding dust, or glass-fiber dust. 3 had contact allergy from a new sensitizer, diethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether, in a reactive diluent. Immediate transfer of workers sensitized to epoxy resin from epoxy exposure prevents aggravation of their dermatitis and broadening of the sensitization to epoxy hardeners, diluents and other compounds.