Evaluation of Respiratory Symptoms, Spirometric Lung Patterns and Metal Fume Concentrations among Welders in Indoor Air-Conditioned Building at Malaysia

Abstract

Welding is one of the fundamental processes for metal joining in automotive industries and there is an increasing concern over occupational lung disease among welder due to exposure towards welding fumes. A lung disease questionnaire (ATS-DLD-78) was used to record the presence of respiratory symptoms among welders and in assessing lung function assessment, FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC are considered for identifying the lung condition; normal, obstructive or restrictive. The data were tabulated and subjected to logistic and multivariate analyses. Meanwhile, in order to trace metal in welders' body, this study utilized a non-invasive approach of toenail as a biomarker. Lung functions decrement was established in linear regression for FEV1 and FEV1/FVC respectively although not statistically significant. Analysis conducted revealed the presence of the following trace elements concentration in ascending sequence: As < Al < Cu < Mn < Cr < Ni < Co < Fe (in the toenail) and Co < Al < Cu < Ni < As < Cr < Fe < Mn (in the cassette), respectively. The results validated the postulation that toenail metals composition shared a similar route of exposure with an anthropogenic source of activity. It is suggested a longer follow-up study is required to assess individual effects on lung function systems and the incidence of respiratory diseases among welders and this study indicates that toenail is a reliable biomarker of metal-workplace pollution and suitable for acquiring chronological information of welding fumes exposure.

Malay Version of the ATS-DLD-78A Questionnaire for Detecting Respiratory Symptoms in Welders: Translation and Cross-Cultural Validation.

“…A pvalue was deemed statistically significant if it was less than 0.05. The frequency and descriptive statistics of socio-demographics collected in this pilot study, the correlation between respiratory-related symptoms and lung function among respondents, as well as the findings of multivariate regression, were established in other articles 41) .…”

“…Overall, the research team that participates in this project should be well-versed not only in the relevance of cultural questions before collecting data but also in considering the technical and semantic equivalence perspectives. A pilot test of the translated version questionnaire was conducted among automotive welders to provide extra rigour and validity to the Malay version questionnaire, and the study found that this translated questionnaire was useful as a tool in diagnosing respiratory problems among adult workers 41) .…”