Biomedical subjects

Andreas Ihrig

Publications and source records attributed to Andreas Ihrig.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Field study to explore possible effects of styrene on auditory function in exposed workers.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to examine, whether occupational styrene exposures are associated with reduced hearing ability. METHODS: The auditory function was investigated by pure tone audiometry and registration of transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) in 32 workers of a fibre-reinforced plastic boat building factory. Sixteen subjects were laminators (mean age: 41 yr (SD: 8)) and therefore regularly exposed to styrene with mean duration of exposure to styrene of 7.5 yr (SD 5.0). The tests were applied to a reference group of 16 workers (mean age: 39 yr (SD: 8)) who were not directly exposed to styrene but had a similar noise exposure. RESULTS: A few and isolated correlations between the parameters of hearing acuity and exposure indices, such as current internal styrene exposures (sum of MA and PGA) and duration of styrene exposure, were statistically significant, but no consistent association was found. CONCLUSION: The results of this study do not support the assumption of an ototoxic effect of chronic styrene exposure in workers.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Examination of the influence of personal traits and habituation on the reporting of complaints at experimental exposure to ammonia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to examine the impact of personal traits and habituation on the intensity of self reported health symptoms and complaints. METHODS: Forty-three healthy male volunteers were exposed to ammonia vapours in concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 20/40, and 50 ppm on five consecutive days. To explore a possible influence of habituation on the perception of symptoms, the study group was divided into 30 men who were not familiar with the smell of ammonia, and ten participants regularly exposed to ammonia at the workplace. The perceived acute health symptoms and self-reported changes of well-being were assessed by the German version of a questionnaire of the Swedish Performance Evaluation System (SPES). Personal traits were ascertained with the positive and negative affectivity schedule (PANAS) and the Freiburger Persönlichkeits Inventar (FPI). RESULTS: There are significant associations between personal traits and the amount of complaints. Subjects with high positive affectivity report less respiratory and irritative complaints, whereas persons with negative affectivity report significantly more olfactory and respiratory symptoms. In general, the strength of these correlations decreases with higher exposure levels. At ammonia concentration above 20 ppm, these associations were no more statistically significant. During the daily exposures, the score of symptoms did not vary significantly. The perceived intensity of health symptoms and annoyance increased with the concentration of ammonia, while the self-reported dimensions of well-being decreased. Workers familiar with the smell of ammonia vapours reported less symptoms compared to naïve subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Habituation to ammonia vapours as well as personal traits influence the reporting of complaints particularly at low exposure. Both factors should be considered in the examination of chemosensory irritative compounds.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Longitudinal study to explore chronic neuropsychologic effects on solvent exposed workers.

AIM: The aim of the study was to examine possible neurotoxic effects on the central nervous system (CNS) in relation to a chronic solvent exposure at the workplace. METHOD: The collective included 127 workers exposed to solvent mixtures, such as spray painters and printers. They were examined twice by means of a physical examination, neuropsychological testbattery, biological and air monitoring. RESULTS: Major component of the solvents were white spirits in concentrations up to 127 ppm in air and 2,666 microg/l in blood. Single substances were mainly toluene and xylenes in concentrations below current threshold values at the workplace. During the 2 yr interval, the concentrations of solvents decreased, and no significant associations between the neuropsychological tests and the solvent exposure were found. Regarding the whole working history of each participant, we found a significant reduction on information processing velocity and performance in the trailmaking test, as well as more complaints of workers with higher solvent exposure in the past. CONCLUSIONS: A slight increase of subjective complaints and a deteriorated power of concentration seems to be associated with chronic solvent exposure.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Pilot study on prevalence of color vision dysfunction in long-term solvent-exposed painters.

Main purpose of our study was to examine whether painters with long-term exposure to mixtures of organic solvents show slight dysfunctions in color vision ability. The study population consisted of 140 men with chronic exposure to organic solvents from paint and thinners (mean duration of exposure: 26 years). We used the Lanthony Desaturated Panel-D-15 (LDP-D15) to test color vision and calculated the color confusion index (CCI). The results were compared with reference values taken from the literature. Additionally the questionnaire Q18 for solvent related neurotoxic symptoms was applied and its results compared with the CCI. Painters between 25 to 55 years old had higher median CCI values than the respective age group of the references. No statistical significant association between CCI and the actual or chronic solvent exposure was found. The results of the Q18 did also not correlate significantly with the exposure indices. We recommend further studies to explore if the color confusion index is an appropriate indicator of early neurotoxic effects in painters.

Color Vision Defects↗