A Cohort Study on Self-Reported Respiratory Symptoms of Toner-Handling Workers: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis from 2003 to 2008. (27th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kitamura, Hiroko; Terunuma, Niina; Kurosaki, Shizuka; Hata, Koichi; Masuda, Masashi; Kochi, Takeshi; Yanagi, Nobuaki; Murase, Tadashi; Ogami, Akira; Higashi, Toshiaki
• Other Names: Kim Cheorl-Ho Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: BioMed research international. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-02-27
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/826757
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2314-6133

Abstract

Abstract : This study examines the relationship between toner-handling work and its health effects on self-reported respiratory symptoms. The subjects were 1, 504 male workers in a Japanese toner and photocopier manufacturing company. Personal exposure measurement, pulmonary function tests, chest X-ray examination, measurement of biomarkers, and a questionnaire about self-reported respiratory symptoms were performed annually. This study discusses the questionnaire results. We found that the toner-handling group showed significantly higher prevalence of breathlessness than the never-toner-handling group. The significant reduction of pulmonary function and fibrosis change in the chest X-ray examination associated with breathlessness were not observed. However the morbidity of asthma was higher compared to the Japanese population in both of the toner-handling group and the never-toner handling group, the effect of toner exposure was not clarified. Nevertheless, while the toner exposure levels in the current well-controlled working environment may be sufficiently low to prevent adverse health effects, further studies are needed to assess the more long-term latent health effects of toner exposure.