TY - JOUR
T1 - Interstitial pulmonary disorders in indium-processing workers
AU - Chonan, T.
AU - Taguchi, O.
AU - Omae, K.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2007/2
Y1 - 2007/2
N2 - The production of indium-tin oxide has increased wing to the increased manufacture of liquid-crystal panels. It has been reported that interstitial pneumonia occurred in two indium-processing workers; therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate whether interstitial pulmonary disorders were prevalent among indium workers. The study was carried out in 108 male workers in the indium plant where the two interstitial pneumonia patients mentioned above were employed, and included high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lungs, pulmonary function tests and analysis of serum sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6 and the serum indium concentration. Significant interstitial changes were observed in 23 indium workers on HRCT and serum KL-6 was abnormally high (>500 U.mL-1) in 40 workers. Workers with serum indium concentrations in the highest quartile had significantly longer exposure periods, greater HRCT changes, lower diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide and higher KL-6 levels compared with those in the lowest quartile. The serum indium concentration was positively correlated with the KL-6 level and with the degree of HRCT changes. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that serum KL-6 and high-resolution computed tomography abnormalities were prevalent among indium workers and that these abnormalities increased with the indium burden, suggesting that inhaled indium could be a potential cause of occupational lung disease.
AB - The production of indium-tin oxide has increased wing to the increased manufacture of liquid-crystal panels. It has been reported that interstitial pneumonia occurred in two indium-processing workers; therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate whether interstitial pulmonary disorders were prevalent among indium workers. The study was carried out in 108 male workers in the indium plant where the two interstitial pneumonia patients mentioned above were employed, and included high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lungs, pulmonary function tests and analysis of serum sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6 and the serum indium concentration. Significant interstitial changes were observed in 23 indium workers on HRCT and serum KL-6 was abnormally high (>500 U.mL-1) in 40 workers. Workers with serum indium concentrations in the highest quartile had significantly longer exposure periods, greater HRCT changes, lower diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide and higher KL-6 levels compared with those in the lowest quartile. The serum indium concentration was positively correlated with the KL-6 level and with the degree of HRCT changes. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that serum KL-6 and high-resolution computed tomography abnormalities were prevalent among indium workers and that these abnormalities increased with the indium burden, suggesting that inhaled indium could be a potential cause of occupational lung disease.
KW - Indium-tin oxide
KW - Interstitial pneumonia
KW - Occupational lung disease
KW - Semiconductor industry
KW - Sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6
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U2 - 10.1183/09031936.00020306
DO - 10.1183/09031936.00020306
M3 - Article
C2 - 17050566
AN - SCOPUS:33846910248
VL - 29
SP - 317
EP - 324
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Respiratory Diseases
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Respiratory Diseases
SN - 0903-1936
IS - 2
ER -