Lung function and bronchial reactivity in aluminum potroom workers.
研究了38名无症状铝电解车间工人和20名健康对照者的肺功能和支气管反应性，发现工人有轻度阻塞性肺功能损伤但无支气管高反应性，可能与低暴露水平有关。
Lung function and bronchial reactivity were measured in 38 aluminum potroom workers with no airway symptoms and in 20 healthy referents (office workers). All of the participants were non-smokers. The magnitude of exposure to airborne dust (alumina) and fluorides was determined. The aluminum potroom workers had obstructive lung function impairment with a significant decrease in expiratory flow and an increase in residual volume. Diffusing capacity was found to be lower than in the referents. No bronchial hyperreactivity was found in the aluminum potroom workers. The exposure to inhaled alumina and particulate and gaseous fluorides in the plant was low, 15-20% of the Swedish exposure limits. The finding of only modest lung function alterations with no bronchial hyperreactivity in the aluminum potroom workers is not consistent with the results of other authors. This discrepancy can probably be explained by the fact that the exposure to inhaled contaminants in the investigated aluminum plant was low.