NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Nasal lavage for exposure and health assessment.

Siegel PD; Short S; Jones WG; Leppla NC; Lewis DM; Ducatman B; Ronk EA; Bledsoe T; Husberg B; Jennison E; Janotkova E; Mull JC; Shahan TA; Al-Humadi NH; Freeland D; Odencrantz J; Petsonk EL

Sixth US-Finnish Joint Symposium on Occupational Health and Safety, People and Work, Proceedings of the Sixth FIOH-NIOSH Joint Symposium on Occupational Health and Safety, 8-10 August 1995, Espoo, Finland. People and Work - Research Reports 3. H. Nordman, J. Starck, A. Tossavainen, E. Viikari-Juntura, eds. Helsinki, Finland: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; 1995 Aug; :81-86

00229607

A technique for performing nasal lavage at the worksite was evaluated. The technique involved instilling sterile solution warmed to 37 degrees-C through a heat softened catheter into each nostril of the test subject. The catheter was held in place by pinching the nostrils closed during which time the nose was vibrated by a pediatric percussor. After collection, the lavage fluid was centrifuged at 1,500 revolutions/minute for 15 minutes. Lavagate cell counts were obtained by standard cytochemical techniques. The lavagate was analyzed for eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), human serum albumin (HSA), tryptase, prostaglandin-D2 (PGD2), and leukotriene-C4 (LTC4) by radioimmunoassays. The technique was used during a survey of respiratory problems among 63 persons employed at two United States Department of Agriculture moth rearing facilities. During the survey the lavagates were also analyzed for insect scales or fragments. ECP, HSA, tryptase, PGD2, LTC4, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and mast cells were detected in the lavagates. ECP concentrations were significantly correlated with the number of eosinophils. Eosinophil counts were also significantly correlated with HSA concentrations. Lavagate LTC4 concentrations were significantly associated with over shift changes in 1 second forced expiratory volume, forced functional capacity, and peak flow measured in the survey. LCT4 concentrations were also significantly associated with respiratory symptoms such as asthmatic shortness of breath, nonasthma related dyspnea, and episodic wheezing. Insect fragments ranging up to 732 per lavagate were detected in some samples. The authors conclude that nasal lavage is a suitable technique for obtaining information on recent exposures and respiratory health status, particularly inflammatory changes in the nose that can precede asthma.

Nasal-cavity; Clinical-techniques; Insects; Risk-analysis; Occupational-exposure; Clinical-symptoms; Lung-function; Analytical-methods; Biochemical-indicators; Occupational-medicine; Respiratory-system-disorders; Nasal-disorders

19950801

Conference/Symposia Proceedings

Nordman H; Starck J; Tossavainen A; Viikari-Juntura E

1995

9789518021028

1237-6183

DRDS

Respiratory-system-disorders

Sixth US-Finnish Joint Symposium on Occupational Health and Safety, People and Work, Proceedings of the Sixth FIOH-NIOSH Joint Symposium on Occupational Health and Safety, 8-10 August 1995, Espoo, Finland. People and Work - Research Reports 3

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