Chronic effects of paraquat on the lung
Pulmonary function and exercise-associated changes with chronic low-level paraquat exposure (01.01.04)
Schenker MB, Stoecklin M, Lee K, Lupercio R, Zeballos RJ, Enright P, Hennessy T, and Beckett LA, Pulmonary function and exercise-associated changes with chronic low-level paraquat exposure, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 170(7), 773-779, 2004
A study with 338 workers from plantations in Costa Rica found that paraquat exposure was associated with an increase in oxygen desaturation and ventilatory equivalent for CO2. Ventilatory equivalent for CO2 (respired air volume for uptake of certain amount of oxy-gen), arterial oxygen desaturation (difference between oxygen saturation of blood at rest and maximum exercise) and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity were measured, the lung function was tested and cumulative exposure to paraquat was estimated for individual workers. The diffusion capacity and lung function in spirometric tests did not differ between paraquat handlers and non-handlers. No clinically significant increases in restrictive lung disease or interstitial thickening were observed, and the association with chronic bronchi-tis, wheeze or ever having a diagnosis of asthma was not statistically significant. The index for cumulative exposure to paraquat was associated with an increased relative risk for chronic cough of 1.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.0-3.1) and with an increased relative risk for shortness of breath accompanied by wheeze of 2.3 (95% CI: 1.2-5.1). araquat expo-sure was associated with an increase in the ventilatory equivalent for CO2 in a statistically significant manner (this factor accounted for a small portion of total variance); the paraquat exposure index was associated with oxygen desaturation (5% or more) with a relative risk of 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9-3.0). The two latter findings suggested that among the workers in this study exposure to paraquat may be associated with subclinical abnormalities in gas ex-change of the lung.
A study with 338 workers from plantations in Costa Rica found that paraquat exposure was associated with an increase in oxygen desaturation and ventilatory equivalent for CO2. Ventilatory equivalent for CO2 (respired air volume for uptake of certain amount of oxy-gen), arterial oxygen desaturation (difference between oxygen saturation of blood at rest and maximum exercise) and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity were measured, the lung function was tested and cumulative exposure to paraquat was estimated for individual workers. The diffusion capacity and lung function in spirometric tests did not differ between paraquat handlers and non-handlers. No clinically significant increases in restrictive lung disease or interstitial thickening were observed, and the association with chronic bronchi-tis, wheeze or ever having a diagnosis of asthma was not statistically significant. The index for cumulative exposure to paraquat was associated with an increased relative risk for chronic cough of 1.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.0-3.1) and with an increased relative risk for shortness of breath accompanied by wheeze of 2.3 (95% CI: 1.2-5.1). araquat expo-sure was associated with an increase in the ventilatory equivalent for CO2 in a statistically significant manner (this factor accounted for a small portion of total variance); the paraquat exposure index was associated with oxygen desaturation (5% or more) with a relative risk of 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9-3.0). The two latter findings suggested that among the workers in this study exposure to paraquat may be associated with subclinical abnormalities in gas ex-change of the lung.
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