Skip to main content
PMC home page
Occupational and Environmental Medicine logoLink to Occupational and Environmental Medicine
. 1997 Nov;54(11):836–839. doi: 10.1136/oem.54.11.836

Bronchial reactions to exposure to welding fumes.

G R Contreras 1, M Chan-Yeung 1
PMCID: PMC1128957  PMID: 9538358

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To study the airway response and its mechanism to welding fumes in six welders with respiratory symptoms. METHODS: Methacholine and welding challenge tests were carried out. The concentration of welding fumes during the exposure test was measured. On two subjects who developed bronchoconstricition to welding challenge, additional tests were carried out including prick, patch, and inhalation challenges with metal salt solutions. RESULTS: Three subjects developed immediate bronchial reaction to exposure to welding fume; one to mild steel and stainless steel welding, another to mild steel and galvanised welding, and one only to galvanised welding. They all had a moderate to pronounced degree of non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The concentration of fumes during welding tests, particularly to galvanised welding, was high. An inhalation challenge test with zinc chloride salt solution in two subjects who reacted to galvanised welding was negative. Prick and patch tests with zinc chloride were also negative. CONCLUSION: The airway response to welding in these subjects is non-specific and is due to irritation rather than to sensitisation.

Full text

PDF
836

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Block G. T., Yeung M. Asthma induced by nickel. JAMA. 1982 Mar 19;247(11):1600–1602. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Broughton A., Thrasher J. D., Gard Z. Immunological evaluation of four arc welders exposed to fumes from ignited polyurethane (isocyanate) foam: antibodies and immune profiles. Am J Ind Med. 1988;13(4):463–472. doi: 10.1002/ajim.4700130406. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chan-Yeung M., Malo J. L. Aetiological agents in occupational asthma. Eur Respir J. 1994 Feb;7(2):346–371. doi: 10.1183/09031936.94.07020346. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cockcroft D. W., Killian D. N., Mellon J. J., Hargreave F. E. Bronchial reactivity to inhaled histamine: a method and clinical survey. Clin Allergy. 1977 May;7(3):235–243. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1977.tb01448.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Keskinen H., Kalliomäki P. L., Alanko K. Occupational asthma due to stainless steel welding fumes. Clin Allergy. 1980 Mar;10(2):151–159. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1980.tb02092.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Malo J. L., Cartier A., Dolovich J. Occupational asthma due to zinc. Eur Respir J. 1993 Mar;6(3):447–450. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Malo J. L., Cartier A., Gagnon G., Evans S., Dolovich J. Isolated late asthmatic reaction due to nickel sulphate without antibodies to nickel. Clin Allergy. 1985 Mar;15(2):95–99. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1985.tb02261.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Malo J. L., Cartier A. Occupational asthma due to fumes of galvanized metal. Chest. 1987 Aug;92(2):375–377. doi: 10.1378/chest.92.2.375. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Nieboer E., Evans S. L., Dolovich J. Occupational asthma from nickel sensitivity: II. Factors influencing the interaction of Ni2+, HSA, and serum antibodies with nickel related specificity. Br J Ind Med. 1984 Feb;41(1):56–63. doi: 10.1136/oem.41.1.56. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Novey H. S., Habib M., Wells I. D. Asthma and IgE antibodies induced by chromium and nickel salts. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1983 Oct;72(4):407–412. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(83)90507-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Olaguibel J. M., Basomba A. Occupational asthma induced by chromium salts. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 1989 May-Jun;17(3):133–136. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Pepys J., Hutchcroft B. J. Bronchial provocation tests in etiologic diagnosis and analysis of asthma. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1975 Dec;112(6):829–859. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1975.112.6.829. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Vandenplas O., Dargent F., Auverdin J. J., Boulanger J., Bossiroy J. M., Roosels D., Vande Weyer R. Occupational asthma due to gas metal arc welding on mild steel. Thorax. 1995 May;50(5):587–589. doi: 10.1136/thx.50.5.587. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Vogelmeier C., König G., Bencze K., Fruhmann G. Pulmonary involvement in zinc fume fever. Chest. 1987 Nov;92(5):946–948. doi: 10.1378/chest.92.5.946. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Weir D. C., Robertson A. S., Jones S., Burge P. S. Occupational asthma due to soft corrosive soldering fluxes containing zinc chloride and ammonium chloride. Thorax. 1989 Mar;44(3):220–223. doi: 10.1136/thx.44.3.220. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Occupational and Environmental Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES