Incidence of Occupational Asthma and Exposure to Toluene Diisocyanate in the United States Toluene Diisocyanate Production Industry. J Occup Environ Med 2017 Dec;59 Suppl 12(Suppl 12):S22-S27
Date
12/05/2017Pubmed ID
29200135Pubmed Central ID
PMC5763544DOI
10.1097/JOM.0000000000000890Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85036634437 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 25 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: This study examines asthma risk in facilities producing toluene diisocyanate (TDI).
METHODS: A total of 197 workers were monitored from 2007 to 2012. TDI air concentrations were used to estimate exposures.
RESULTS: The incidence of cases consistent with TDI-induced asthma was 0.009 per person-years (seven cases) or consistent with TDI-induced asthma or asthma indeterminate regarding work-relatedness was 0.012 (nine cases). Increased risk of cases consistent with TDI asthma was observed for cumulative (odds ratio [OR] = 2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07 to 4.05) per logarithm parts per billion-years and peak TDI exposures (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.32) (logarithm parts per billion). There was a weak association with cumulative and peak exposures for decline of short-term forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). Asthma symptoms were associated with workers noticing an odor of TDI (OR 6.02; 95% CI 1.36 to 26.68).
CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that cumulative and peak exposures are associated with TDI-induced asthma.
Author List
Collins JJ, Anteau S, Conner PR, Cassidy LD, Doney B, Wang ML, Kurth L, Carson M, Molenaar D, Redlich CA, Storey EAuthor
Laura Cassidy PhD Associate Dean, Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Air Pollutants, Occupational
Asthma, Occupational
Chemical Industry
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Incidence
Male
Middle Aged
Occupational Exposure
Odds Ratio
Odorants
Time Factors
Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate
United States
Young Adult
