Endemic Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome in Microwave Popcorn Workers: A New Occupational Lung Hazard

Details

• Personal Author:
  Enright, Paul L. ; Fedan, Kathleen B. ; Gomaa, Ahmed ; Kreiss, Kathleen ; Kullman, Greg J. ; Schleiff, Patricia L. ; Simoes, Eduardo
• Description:
  In followup of a cluster of severe fixed airway obstruction in former workers, we studied current employees and exposures in a microwave popcorn plant. We conducted questionnaire interviews, spirometry, lung diffusing capacity, and chest x-rays. Age- and smoking-adjusted rates were compared to National Health and Nutrition Examination III data. We evaluated exposure-response relations by comparing rates of symptoms and abnormalities by estimates of cumulative exposure to diacetyl, the predominant ketone in artificial butter flavoring and in the plant air. The I 17 current workers (87% response rate) had 26 times the rates of chronic cough and shortness of breath compared to national data; 3.3 times the rate of obstructive spirometry abnormalities; and about twice the rate of physician-diagnosed asthma and chronic bronchitis. Excess abnormalities were higher in never smokers, who had 11.8 times the national rate of airways obstruction Strong exposure-response relationships existed between quartile of estimated cumulative exposures to diacetyl and respirable dust and frequency and degree of airway obstruction. The exposure-related excess lung disease in this plant population is e best explained by work-related bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome from inhaling butter flavoring vapors. Animal studies and longitudinal surveillance will clarify the causative agent(s) and efficacy of prevention measures. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Butanones Dust Environmental Monitoring Food-Processing Industry Food Additives Food Handling Food Industry Irritants Lung Lung Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Radiography Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Smokers

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• Keywords:
  Age-groups Air-quality-monitoring Air-sampling Airway-obstruction Airway-resistance Chest-X-rays Chronic-exposure Food-additives Food-processing Food-processing-industry Food-processing-workers Ketones Lung-disease Pulmonary-disorders Pulmonary-function Pulmonary-system-disorders Respirable-dust Respiratory-irritants Respiratory-system-disorders Smoking Spirometry

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• ISSN:
  1073-449X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary ; Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies ; DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  165
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20022969
• Citation:
  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002 Apr; 165(8)(Suppl):A461
• CAS Registry Number:
  Butanedione (CAS RN 431-03-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2002 International Conference, The American Thoracic Society, Atlanta Georgia, May 17-22, 2002
• Supplement:
  Suppl
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d53128d40a9000f20305cc8bb05e71af56575e0d81fabace54c14ae4971ab3a2472904ded81c27e7238a425f13f82f068406c403f99effa79b11a2bc2df58077
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199571/cdc_199571_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 182.12 KB ]