한 합금공장에서 집단 발생한 급성 베릴륨 질환 (An Outbreak of Acute Beryllium Disease in a Compound Metal Alloy Factory)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 대한직업환경의학회
· 수록지 정보 : Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine / 20권 / 1호 / 1 ~ 8페이지
· 저자명 : 김현주, 강성규, 지영구, 김대성, 노상철, 정우철, 조규탁, 김동현

초록

Objectives: We conducted an epidemiological survey to inquire into an outbreak of acute pneumonitis
after two reported cases of interstitial lung disease.

Methods: The study subjects were 45 workers from a compound metal alloy factory. We reviewed the
factory’s industrial hygiene data along with the results of a special health examination, including pulmonary
function tests, simple chest X-rays, and high resolution computed tomography.

Results: The air concentrations of beryllium ranged from 0.42 μg/m3 to 112.3 μg/m3, and the mean
concentration of urinary beryllium were 1.53±0.79 μg/g of creatinine in the molding workers, 1.41±
0.50 μg/g of creatinine in the casting workers, and 1.16±0.53 μg/g of creatinine in the sorting workers.
The rates for cough (p=0.054), dyspnea (p=0.030), and the use of medical services (p=0.018) were higher
in the molding workers than in the non-molding workers. The incidence rate of acute interstitial lung disease
was higher for the molding process (32.0%) than for the non-molding process (5.0%) (p=0.012).
The time of employment for all patients was prior to December 1st, 2002.

Conclusions: Since most of the patients were molding workers, and all of the patients had worked
without a ventilation system, this outbreak of acute interstitial lung disease was regarded as acute beryllium
disease. Although the direct cause of the epidemic was the beryllium fumes, the fundamental cause
was improper control of the work environment. Therefore, the means for preventing avoidable epidemics
of occupational diseases are discussed.

영어초록

Objectives: We conducted an epidemiological survey to inquire into an outbreak of acute pneumonitis
after two reported cases of interstitial lung disease.

Methods: The study subjects were 45 workers from a compound metal alloy factory. We reviewed the
factory’s industrial hygiene data along with the results of a special health examination, including pulmonary
function tests, simple chest X-rays, and high resolution computed tomography.

Results: The air concentrations of beryllium ranged from 0.42 μg/m3 to 112.3 μg/m3, and the mean
concentration of urinary beryllium were 1.53±0.79 μg/g of creatinine in the molding workers, 1.41±
0.50 μg/g of creatinine in the casting workers, and 1.16±0.53 μg/g of creatinine in the sorting workers.
The rates for cough (p=0.054), dyspnea (p=0.030), and the use of medical services (p=0.018) were higher
in the molding workers than in the non-molding workers. The incidence rate of acute interstitial lung disease
was higher for the molding process (32.0%) than for the non-molding process (5.0%) (p=0.012).
The time of employment for all patients was prior to December 1st, 2002.

Conclusions: Since most of the patients were molding workers, and all of the patients had worked
without a ventilation system, this outbreak of acute interstitial lung disease was regarded as acute beryllium
disease. Although the direct cause of the epidemic was the beryllium fumes, the fundamental cause
was improper control of the work environment. Therefore, the means for preventing avoidable epidemics
of occupational diseases are discussed.

참고자료

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