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Biomedical subjects

H R Imbus

Publications and source records attributed to H R Imbus.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Prevalence of tendinitis and related disorders of the upper extremity in a manufacturing workforce.

A cross sectional survey of a randomly selected population of 2,261 textile workers form an overall population of 8,539 eligible workers was performed to evaluate the prevalence of tendinitis in related upper extremity disorders. Of the sample, 2,047 respondents (91.3%) participated in a nurse screening history and examination: 1,091 (53%) had no upper extremity symptoms or abnormalities on examination; 959 (47%) with positive findings were examined by trained physicians. Of these, 347 (36.5%) were found to have no abnormality, whereas, 548 (57.3%) workers were assigned a diagnosis. Of these 227 were considered to fall into the categories of tendinitis (n = 69) or related disorders (n = 158). The projected prevalence of tendinitis and related disorders for the overall group was 11.6% (carpal tunnel syndrome 1.1%, epicondylitis 2.0%, tendinitis 3.5%, shoulder condition 2.3%, ganglion 2.3%, neck conditions 4.0%). Tendinitis was less frequent in the older age group and those employed for a longer time. The prevalence of tendinitis was found to be statistically higher in physically demanding job categories. Ninety-four percent of ailments were of mild or moderate severity. Although our study provides prevalence data for these conditions in a large manufacturing workforce across several job categories.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Case-control study of nasal cancer in workers employed in wood-related industries.

A case-control study of nasal cancer deaths in the states of Washington, Oregon, Mississippi, and North Carolina was undertaken to determine whether there was an excess of nasal cancer deaths occurring among workers in wood-related industries. This involved analysis of 536 cases of nasal cancer deaths occurring from 1962 to 1977, compared with 1,072 deaths matched for control. The study showed no overall excess of deaths from nasal cancer in wood-related industries, including furniture manufacturing. There was a statistically significant excess of deaths from nasal cancer occurring in lumber and wood products (risk ratio = 1.95, P less than .05); however, this was largely due to excess in these industries occurring in the states, of North Carolina and Mississippi. Summarizing the available evidence of this study, there seems to be no association between nasal cancer and industry/occupation normally identified with wood dust.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A review of regulatory risk assessment with formaldehyde as an example.

Quantitative risk assessment may vary by over a millionfold depending upon the model used. The EPA currently uses models which project the highest potential risk. Furthermore, there is no consideration of the probability that a chemical is a human carcinogen. Such an approach may result in unrealistically high risk at exposures far below current ambient levels. In the case of formaldehyde, three alternative approaches to risk assessment are examined. One uses the maximum likelihood estimate of the multistage model, another uses the no observable adverse effect level divided by a safety factor of 100, and the third uses a probability estimate that the substance is carcinogenic at typical ambient exposures multiplied by EPA's upper bound estimate. The probability estimate is made from considerations of metabolism and pharmacokinetics, toxicology, short-term tests, animal tests, and epidemiology.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Acute effect upon pulmonary function of low level exposure to phenol-formaldehyde-resin-coated wood.

In order to determine whether phenol-formaldehyde-resin-coated wood particles would cause an acute decline in pulmonary function, 176 workers in 2 oriented strandboard production plants were given respiratory questionnaires and pulmonary function tests before and during their work shifts. Measurements of dust and adsorbed formaldehyde were made on the same day as the pulmonary function tests. Measured formaldehyde levels were low, and measured dust levels were low to moderate. There was no evidence of an acute effect upon pulmonary function.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1987

A review of nasal cancer in furniture manufacturing and woodworking in North Carolina, the United States, and other countries.

Nasal adenocarcinoma in the High Wycombe furniture industry of England during 1956-1965 had an annual incidence of 500 to 1,000 times greater than that of the general population. Excesses of nasal cancer have also been described in France, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, and Holland. Interestingly, one limited study in Canada revealed no excess, whereas a more recent one showed a slight excess. In contrast to the strikingly large excesses of nasal adenocarcinoma in other countries, there has never been any evidence of similarly large excesses in the US woodworking and furniture industry. Modern manufacturing conditions may not present the same degree of risk of developing nasal cancer as was present in the English furniture manufacturing industry. The incidence of nasal cancer associated with furniture manufacturing in the United States is examined in considerable detail in North Carolina, the leading furniture manufacturing state. Furniture manufacturing in the state began around 1890 and has grown steadily since. Utilizing statistics available from the North Carolina Department of Vital Statistics, the absolute mortality of nasal cancer in North Carolina was calculated from 1964 to 1977. The average mortality was approximately 3.5 times greater in the furniture manufacturing industry than in the general population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Facility Design and Construction↗
PubMed1986

Cotton dust.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Byssinosis↗
PubMed1985

Clinical evaluation of patients with complaints related to formaldehyde exposure.

Formaldehyde is a very widely used chemical in our present society and one with which every physician has had a first-hand experience in his early days of training in the anatomy laboratory. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health lists 52 occupations that expose people to formaldehyde. In recent years, however, the increasing use of formaldehyde resins in the production of building materials such as particleboard and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation has resulted in exposures of large numbers of people in nonoccupational settings. Consumer products such as cosmetics, cigarettes, textiles, furniture, draperies, and preservatives release formaldehyde. It is present in the outdoor atmosphere from products of combustion and automobile exhaust and likewise in the home from such things as gas cooking. These more widespread and increased exposures have resulted in concern regarding potential health effects. Therefore, it is likely that physicians have or will encounter patients who wish evaluations of a present or potential health effect from formaldehyde. This article is for the purpose of providing assistance in such evaluation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Bacterial contamination of cotton as an indicator of respiratory effects among card room workers.

The influence of the bacterial contamination of cotton dust on the development of pulmonary symptoms has been investigated. The pulmonary function of card room workers in 23 US cotton mills was tested before and after the Monday working shift. A significant relation was found between the delta FEV1.0 decrement and the vertical elutriator dust level in the different mills. An improved correlation was obtained when the number of Gram-negative bacteria cultured from the bale cotton used in the different mills was employed in the exposure description. The results support earlier epidemiological and experimental studies, which demonstrate the importance of the Gram-negative bacteria in the development of pulmonary symptoms among workers in cotton mills.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1978

Hand structure and function in an industrial setting.

The influence of patterns of usage on the structure and function of the hands was formally tested. Three groups of female textile workers, each employed in a distinct and defined, atraumatic, repetitive, stereotyped manual task for at least 20 years, were identified in a single rural mill. Replicate data were obtained for the following measures of structure and function: range of motion, a score for the degree of radiographic degenerative changes at each hand joint, malalignment at digital joints determined radiographically, and a quantitative measure of osteophyte formation. Significant and consistent differences in the right hand when compared to the left were detected. Furthermore, highly significant task-related differences were demonstrated. These task-related differences in the structure and function of the hands were consistent with the pattern of usage. Therefore these three patterns of usage influence hand structure and function in the population studied.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health of workers exposed to 1, 1, 1,-trichloroethane: a matched-pair study.

An epidemiologic study of 151 matched pairs of employees was conducted in two adjacent textile plants, one of which used inhibited 1,1,1-trichloroethane as a general cleaning solvent. Employees in the study population had exposures to the solvent for 6 yrs or less at varying concentrations which were measured by breathing zone sampling and personal monitoring. While cardiovascular and hepatic observations were of primary interest, other health parameters were also studied. Application of sensitive statistical techniques and careful examination of all data did not reveal any clinically pertinent findings that were associated with exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The statistically significant associations that were observed between health measures and nonexposure factors emphasize the need to consider age, sex, race, and other variables in designing epidemiologic studies.

Adolescent↗