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Biomedical subjects

Torben Sigsgaard

Publications and source records attributed to Torben Sigsgaard.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Selenium serum and urine is associated to mild asthma and atopy. The SUS study.

To examine the associations between selenium (Se) status, asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), and atopy in 154 male subjects (72 with mild asthma, 41 with BHR and 41 with no respiratory symptoms) aged 18 (range 17-22) years. Each subject underwent a medical interview and FEV1 and FVC were recorded. Histamine bronchial reactivity (Yan method) was measured, skin prick test (inhalant allergens) was performed and Se in urine and serum was analysed (AOAC modified fluometric method). Se in serum 74.04 (10.58) micrograms/L (mean (SD)) was lower in subjects with asthma and the logarithm of the ratio of Se in serum (microgram/L) and urine standardised to creatinine excretion (ng/mg creatinine) 0.748 (0.096) (mean (SD)) was lower in subjects with asthma and atopy compared to subjects with no allergic symptoms 77.79 (10.16) micrograms/L and 0.808 (0.111) respectively (p < 0.05). In subjects with asthma atopy was significantly associated to urine Se 0.24 (0.73) (beta (SE)) (p < 0.05). Subjects with BHR had the same Se status as subjects with no respiratory symptoms and heavy smokers had a lower concentration of Se in serum 73.80 (9.56) micrograms/L than non-smokers 78.16 (10.74) micrograms/L (p < 0.05), Se status was associated to asthma and smoking. Measuring Se in urine might add further information to possible relations between Se status, atopy and asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Determinants of wood dust exposure in the Danish furniture industry.

This paper investigates the relation between wood dust exposure in the furniture industry and occupational hygiene variables. During the winter 1997-98 54 factories were visited and 2362 personal, passive inhalable dust samples were obtained; the geometric mean was 0.95 mg/m(3) and the geometric standard deviation was 2.08. In a first measuring round 1685 dust concentrations were obtained. For some of the workers repeated measurements were carried out 1 (351) and 2 weeks (326) after the first measurement. Hygiene variables like job, exhaust ventilation, cleaning procedures, etc., were documented. A multivariate analysis based on mixed effects models was used with hygiene variables being fixed effects and worker, machine, department and factory being random effects. A modified stepwise strategy of model making was adopted taking into account the hierarchically structured variables and making possible the exclusion of non-influential random as well as fixed effects. For woodworking, the following determinants of exposure increase the dust concentration: manual and automatic sanding and use of compressed air with fully automatic and semi-automatic machines and for cleaning of work pieces. Decreased dust exposure resulted from the use of compressed air with manual machines, working at fully automatic or semi-automatic machines, functioning exhaust ventilation, work on the night shift, daily cleaning of rooms, cleaning of work pieces with a brush, vacuum cleaning of machines, supplementary fresh air intake and safety representative elected within the last 2 yr. For handling and assembling, increased exposure results from work at automatic machines and presence of wood dust on the workpieces. Work on the evening shift, supplementary fresh air intake, work in a chair factory and special cleaning staff produced decreased exposure to wood dust. The implications of the results for the prevention of wood dust exposure are discussed.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2002

Respiratory symptoms and lung function among Danish woodworkers.

A cross-sectional study including 54 furniture factories and three control factories was conducted to survey lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms among woodworkers. Spirometry was performed on 2423 persons. Questionnaires regarding respiratory symptoms and wood dust exposure were completed by 2033 woodworkers and 474 controls. Personal passive dust measurements were performed on 1579 persons. The arithmetic mean +/- SD for equivalent inhalable dust was relatively low (1.19 +/- 0.86 mg/m3). Woodworkers had increased frequency of coughing with negative interaction between dust exposure and smoking. A dose-response relationship was seen between dust exposure and asthma symptoms, and a positive interaction for asthma was seen between female gender and dust exposure. Increased frequency of wheezing and a cross-shift decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second among workers using pinewood was seen. In conclusion, wood dust exposure might cause respiratory symptoms, despite a relatively low exposure level.

Adult↗