The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of occupational origin may be of functional, inflammatory or neoplastic nature and can also be caused by several chemical agents. One of the most risky processes of exposure to irritants for the respiratory system is welding, during which smoke and gases are released, with production of metal particulates and noxious gases, such as ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the reactive oxygen metabolite assays in the early detection of professional COPD due to free radical damage, with the aim to identify markers whose measurements can be used in protocols of health surveillance of individuals exposed to fumes and noxious gases. The reactive oxygen metabolites were determined in serum of patients with a spectrophotometric procedure and obtained data were compared to those by the chemiluminescence produced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the presence of luminol in whole blood samples. We enrolled 11 welders exposed to fumes and gases from the process of electric arc welding, 5 miners engaged in the extraction and processing of lava stone, 18 apparently healthy smokers not exposed to pollutants in their workplace and 20 healthy non-smokers not exposed to contaminants from work. Results showed that the spectrophotometric test is more reliable than the PMN activation test and can be used in the assessment of early damage by free radicals in professional COPD.

Stress ossidativo e broncopneumopatie professionali

IORIO, Eugenio Luigi;LAMBERTI, Monica
2014

Abstract

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of occupational origin may be of functional, inflammatory or neoplastic nature and can also be caused by several chemical agents. One of the most risky processes of exposure to irritants for the respiratory system is welding, during which smoke and gases are released, with production of metal particulates and noxious gases, such as ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the reactive oxygen metabolite assays in the early detection of professional COPD due to free radical damage, with the aim to identify markers whose measurements can be used in protocols of health surveillance of individuals exposed to fumes and noxious gases. The reactive oxygen metabolites were determined in serum of patients with a spectrophotometric procedure and obtained data were compared to those by the chemiluminescence produced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the presence of luminol in whole blood samples. We enrolled 11 welders exposed to fumes and gases from the process of electric arc welding, 5 miners engaged in the extraction and processing of lava stone, 18 apparently healthy smokers not exposed to pollutants in their workplace and 20 healthy non-smokers not exposed to contaminants from work. Results showed that the spectrophotometric test is more reliable than the PMN activation test and can be used in the assessment of early damage by free radicals in professional COPD.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11591/362708
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