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Occupational respiratory and skin diseases among Finnish machinists: findings of a large clinical study

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Abstract

Purpose

Machinists are exposed to many sensitizing and irritant substances, but no previous study has assessed the occurrence of clinically verified occupational diseases in an unselected large workforce of machinists. Our aim was to study the occurrence of clinically verified occupational respiratory and skin diseases cross-sectionally in a large sample of machinists in southern Finland.

Methods

A computer-assisted telephone interview on occupational exposures and health was carried out in a sample of 961 machining workers from 64 metalworking companies. Of these, 757 (79 %) answered the interview. A total of 245 subjects reported work-related respiratory or skin symptoms and were invited to clinical examinations; 138 of these underwent a clinical interview and examination by an occupational health physician. On the basis of this examination, 32 subjects were further examined at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) for occupational skin or respiratory diseases.

Results

One case of occupational asthma (OA) and seven cases of occupational dermatoses (OD) were diagnosed, giving a prevalence of 0.13 % (95 % CI 0–0.39) for OA, and 0.92 % (95 % CI 0.24–1.16) for OD. The OA was induced by the patient’s own MWF. Additional five cases of newly diagnosed non-occupational asthma (0.79 %, 95 % CI = 0.16–1.42) were detected. No cases of occupational rhinitis or COPD were diagnosed. The dermatoses diagnoses consisted of four cases of allergic contact dermatitis and three cases of irritant contact dermatitis. The most common causes of the ODs were MWFs.

Conclusion

This large clinical study of machinists representing metalworking in South Finland showed a prevalence of 0.13 % of OA and 0.92 % of OD. This relatively low occurrence of occupational diseases may reflect the strict Finnish criteria for the diagnosis of these occupational diseases and the relatively good level of occupational hygiene in machining workshops in Finland. Reported respiratory and skin symptoms were common, and these milder conditions may be linked to irritant rather than sensitizing exposures.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by The Finnish Work Environment Fund, grant no 102118. The writing of this study was supported by a grant to Dr. Hannu from The Finnish Medical Foundation. We thank Ms Tuula Jaatinen and Ms Tuija Halonen for their secretarial help.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Occupational Medicine Team, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

    Timo Hannu, Katri Suuronen & Merja Järvelä

  2. Control of Hypersensitivity Diseases, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

    Kristiina Aalto-Korte & Riitta Jolanki

  3. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Kristiina Alanko

  4. Statistical Services, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

    Ritva Luukkonen

  5. Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Maritta S. Jaakkola

  6. Respiratory Medicine Unit, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

    Maritta S. Jaakkola

Authors
  1. Timo Hannu
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  2. Katri Suuronen
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  3. Kristiina Aalto-Korte
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  4. Kristiina Alanko
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  5. Ritva Luukkonen
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  6. Merja Järvelä
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  7. Riitta Jolanki
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  8. Maritta S. Jaakkola
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katri Suuronen.

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Hannu, T., Suuronen, K., Aalto-Korte, K. et al. Occupational respiratory and skin diseases among Finnish machinists: findings of a large clinical study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 86, 189–197 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0754-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-012-0754-8

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