Secondary |
Merget |
1994 |
Germany |
LMW |
Metals |
Platinum |
Platinum refinery workers |
Occupational asthma |
Removal from exposure (mean: 19 months) |
Limitation: no report of participation rate |
Asthma was still present in 17 of 24 subjects at follow-up, with 22 of 24 subjects showing bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Nonspecific and specific bronchial responsiveness, and FEV1 did not change. Total serum IgE decreased significantly (p<0.005). No association was observed between change in bronchial responsiveness and smoking, time from onset of symptoms to removal, time from removal to follow-up, skin sensitization, or total IgE. |