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Is a reduction in residual volume a sub‐clinical manifestation of hydrogen sulfide intoxication?
Author(s) -
Buick J. Brian,
Lowry Roger C.,
Magee T. Ronnie A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(200003)37:3<296::aid-ajim8>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - medicine , spirometry , residual volume , pulmonary function testing , lung volumes , hydrogen sulfide , functional residual capacity , residual , lung , volume (thermodynamics) , diffusing capacity , anesthesia , lung function , sulfur , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , algorithm , quantum mechanics , asthma , computer science
Background A number of employees at an aircraft factory were accidentally exposed to hydrogen sulfide. Because of concern that this may have resulted in lung injury, forty‐seven workers were referred for clinical and physiological evaluation. Methods Comprehensive pulmonary function tests were performed including spirometry, flow volume curves, static lung volumes, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide. Results The results obtained indicated that ten people (23%) had an isolated reduction in residual volume. This was an unexpected finding as other physiological indices of lung function were within normal limits. Clinical examination was also normal, therefore, radiological investigations were considered inappropriate. Conclusions It is suggested that the decrement in residual volume, in the presence of other normal indices of lung function, could represent a sub‐acute manifestation of hydrogen sulfide intoxication. Am. J. Ind. Med. 37:296–299, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.