BackgroundExposure to cooking fumes may have different deleterious effects on the respiratory system. The aim of this study was to look at possible effects from inhalation of cooking fumes on pulmonary function.MethodsTwo groups of 12 healthy volunteers (A and B) stayed in a model kitchen for two and four hours respectively, and were monitored with spirometry four times during twenty four hours, on one occasion without any exposure, and on another with exposure to controlled levels of cooking fumes.ResultsThe change in spirometric values during the day with exposure to cooking fumes, were not statistically significantly different from the changes during the day without exposure, with the exception of forced expiratory time (FET). The change in FET from entering the kitchen until six hours later, was significantly prolonged between the exposed and the unexposed day with a 15.7% increase on the exposed day, compared to a 3.2% decrease during the unexposed day (p-value = 0.03). The same tendency could be seen for FET measurements done immediately after the exposure and on the next morning, but this was not statistically significant.ConclusionIn our experimental setting, there seems to be minor short term spirometric effects, mainly affecting FET, from short term exposure to cooking fumes.

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Objectives: To investigate whether there was an increased morbidity from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among welders and other workers at a stainless steel welding factory, and, if so, to see whether morbidity could be linked to specific exposure factors. Methods: All the men who had worked at the plant for more than one year since 1960, and who were under the age of 70 years at the time of the study, were included in the study group. The control group was randomly selected from the male population of the same town, and was categorically matched for age. A self administered questionnaire was used to collect information on the occurrence of CVD and related symptoms, background variables, and exposure factors. The validity of the outcome variables for a subgroup of the participants was checked with their appointed general practitioners. This validation revealed a low sensitivity and a high specificity for the outcome variables "chest pain on exercise" and "angina pectoris", while for "myocardial infarction" both the sensitivity and the specificity of the answers given were high. Results: There were 236 men from the study group and 989 men from the control group who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and who answered the questionnaires. The bivariate analysis showed that the study group had an increased age and smoking adjusted prevalence of "chest pain on exercise" and "angina pectoris" with ratios 2.3 (95% CI 1.5-4.9) and 2.6 (95% 1.2-5.7) respectively. When using multiple logistic regression analysis with control for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios for the study group as compared to the control group, were 2.6 (95% CI 1.3-5.3) for "chest pain on exercise", 2.5 (95% CI 1.1-5.8) for "angina pectoris", and 2.4 (95% CI 1.1-4.9) for myocardial infarction. The only explanatory variable which showed statistically significant increased odds ratios for all three outcome variables was work with grinding, with 2.4 (95% CI 1.0-5.5), 3.3 (1.3-8.5), and 2.5 (1.1-5.9) respectively. Conclusion: In accord with some other studies, the results of the study support a hypothesis that there may be a relation between exposure factors to which stainless steel metal workers are exposed and an increased risk of ischemic heart disease.

ObjectivesPrevious investigations have presented some evidence of late cognitive effects in dental personnel exposed to metallic mercury. We wanted to examine if Norwegian dentists have an increased prevalence of symptoms consistent with neurological and/or cognitive malfunction.MethodsThe study group consisted of 406 dentists from central Norway and 217 controls from the general population, all under the age of 70. They had responded to a standardised postal questionnaire (Euroquest) inquiring about seven symptoms in regard to neurology, psychosomatics, memory, concentration, mood, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. A score was calculated for each symptom based on 4 to 15 single questions scored on a scale from 1 (seldom or never) to 4 (very often).ResultsThe dentists and controls had a participation rate of 57.2% and 42.9% respectively. The dentists reported no more cognitive symptoms than the controls, with low average symptom scores from 1.16 for neurological symptoms in males to 1.73 for fatigue in females. Corresponding figures for the controls were 1.22 and 1.77. There were a total of 1.2% of the dentists and 1.8% of the controls who reported having three or more of the seven symptoms "often" or more frequently.ConclusionNorwegian dentists do not report more cognitive and neurological symptoms than controls from the general population.

Aims: To study possible effects of endotoxin exposure among bacterial single cell protein workers on pulmonary function, blood parameters, and lachrymal fluid before and after a work shift. Methods: The study included 23 men and five women who were examined at the start and at the end of a work shift. Most workers performed a task with unusually high exposure levels. Twelve of the workers were re-examined the day after. The workers were divided into three exposure groups: production workers with the highest assumed exposure levels (n = 18), engineers (n = 5), and clerks (n = 2). The median endotoxin level during a work shift was 34000 EU/m 3 in the high exposure group (range 3300-89000 EU/m 3 ), 11000 EU/m 3 (range 350-27000 EU/m 3 ) among the engineers, and 180 EU/m 3 (range 60-300 EU/ m 3 ) for the clerks. The workers answered a questionnaire about work related symptoms. Assessment of lung function included dynamic lung volumes and flows. The blood analysis included cell count of leukocytes and mediators of inflammation, fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), D-dimer, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Cells in lachrymal fluid were counted with a microscope. Results: The forced vital capacity (FVC) changed significantly (p,0.05) from 5.34 l (SD 0.9) to 5.25 l (SD 0.9) and forced expired volume in one second (FEV1) from 4.15 l (SD 0.7) to 4.07 l (SD 0.7) during the work shift. The leukocytes increased significantly (p,0.05) from 6.9 10 9 /l (SD 1.2) to 7.7 10 9 /l (SD 1.5) and IL-6 from 1.5 ng/l (SD 0.6) to 3.31 ng/l (SD 2.7). Except for fibrinogen, which had a borderline increase and PEF that decreased, the parameters were normalised the day after. Four of the workers had an increase of neutrofile granulocytes in the lachrymal fluid during the shift. There was a significant association between the endotoxin concentration and decrease of FEV1 despite the use of powered respirators. Conclusions: During a work shift with unusual high levels of endotoxins at a plant manufacturing bacterial single cell protein the results show that FVC and FEV1 were reduced. Mediators of inflammation increased along with leucocytosis in blood and lachrymal fluid among the workers.