Biomedical subjects

L Stilinovic

Publications and source records attributed to L Stilinovic.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1994

Respiratory symptoms and immunological status in poultry food processing workers.

A group of 57 female workers employed in the processing of poultry food and 51 nonexposed control workers were studied to determine the possible relation between respiratory and immunological findings in poultry food workers. The prevalences of all chronic respiratory symptoms were significantly higher in exposed than in control workers (P < 0.01) except for occupational asthma. The highest prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms in exposed workers was found for chronic cough (49.1%), followed by dyspnea (43.9%), rhinitis (38.6%), chronic phlegm (31.6%), and chronic bronchitis (26.3%). Occupational asthma was found in 5.3% of exposed workers. Exposed workers with a positive skin prick test to poultry food extract demonstrated higher prevalences of all chronic respiratory symptoms than those with negative skin tests, although the difference was statistically significant only for rhinitis (P < 0.05). The most frequent skin reactions were found for poultry food extract (exposed: 66.7%; control: 25.5%; P < 0.05). An increased IgE serum level was found in 19 (33.3%) of the exposed and in four (7.8%) of the control workers (P < 0.01). Three exposed workers with occupational asthma demonstrated an increased serum IgE level. Our data confirm previous results indicating that occupational exposure to poultry food dust may be associated with the development of chronic respiratory symptoms and immunological changes in exposed workers.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Immunological status and respiratory findings in furriers.

We studied 42 women occupationally exposed in the fur manufacturing industry (mean age: 34 years, mean duration of exposure: 11 years). The highest prevalence of positive immediate skin reactions to antigen of animal hair was found for marten (10%), followed by fox and lamb (7%), mink (5%), and Chinese lamb, domestic fox, and Chinese calf (2%). Precipitating antibodies were demonstrated for lamb (17%), astrakhan (14%), mink, domestic fox and skunk (12%), Chinese lamb (10%), and Chinese calf (7%). Increased total IgE was found in 9.5% of subjects. Chronic symptoms were consistently more prevalent among workers with positive skin tests and positive precipitins than among workers with negative tests. A high prevalence of acute symptoms during the work shift was found among furriers. The prevalence of these symptoms was higher among workers with positive precipitating antibodies than among those with negative studies but not for workers with positive skin tests. Mean acute reductions in ventilatory capacity over the work shift were recorded for most ventilatory parameters. In general, greater drops in respiratory parameters occurred in individuals with positive precipitins (e.g., FEV1: -6.5% vs. -2.8%; positive vs. negative precipitins) but not in those with positive skin tests. Our study suggests that workers in the fur manufacturing industry develop acute and chronic respiratory problems often associated with specific indicators of atopy.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1976

Electrocardiographic changes in rats after inhalation of dichlorotetrafluoroethane, Arcton 114, C2Cl2F4.

The effects of dichlorotetrafluoroethane, Arcton 114, on the heart of rats were examined in 17 white rats. The animals inhaled dichlorotetrafluoroethane for 1 or 1.5 min. Severe electrocardiographic changes including marked bardycardia, atrioventricular heart block of the second degree and complete heart block were registered. Cardiac standstill appearing 11 to 31 min after inhalation was a death cause in all rats. These results are similar to our previous results concerning the effects of dichlorodifluoromethane (Arcton 12) on the heart of rats.

Aerosol Propellants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Alpha 1-antitrypsin and lung function in cement workers.

The relationship between the serum concentration of alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT), the concentration of dust at the workplace and lung function abnormalities was examined in 48 male workers occupationally exposed to cement dust. Measurements were performed in all subjects and included ventilatory volumes (FVC, FEV1), airway resistance (Raw), static lung volumes (RV, FRC, TLC), transfer factor for CO and AAT serum concentration. The relationship between lung function, smoking, respirable cement dust exposure, and AAT serum concentration was investigated by the method of multiple linear regression. A statistically significant correlation was observed between AAT blood concentration and respirable dust exposure. The contribution of respirable dust exposure to the description of AAT concentration was positive as was the contribution of Raw. The contributions of transfer CO, smoking and RV/TLC ratio were negative. All the variables considered accounted for approximately 30% of the total variability of the AAT concentration. To conclude, in cement workers the higher AAT serum concentration which is associated with a loss of lung function, and higher respirable cement dust concentration may be part of the defence mechanism against the potential proteolytic activity occurring in occupational dust exposure.

Airway Resistance↗