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Human Upper Respiratory Tract Responses to Inhaled Pollutants with Emphasis on Nasal Lavage a
Author(s) -
KOREN HILLEL S.,
DEVLIN ROBERT B.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1992.tb16545.x
Subject(s) - nose , irritation , respiratory tract , medicine , sick building syndrome , respiratory distress , nasal lavage , throat , respiratory system , eye irritation , inhalation , air pollutants , skin irritation , anesthesia , dermatology , surgery , immunology , chemistry , environmental science , air pollution , environmental engineering , indoor air quality , organic chemistry
A set of symptoms has been described during the past two decades. These symptoms, which have been called the sick building syndrome, include eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache; mental fatigue; and respiratory distress. It is likely that VOCs present in synthetic materials used in homes and office buildings contribute to these symptoms. There have been few studies, however, in which humans have been exposed to known amounts of VOCs under carefully controlled conditions. In this study, 14 subjects have been exposed to a mixture of VOCs (25 mg/m3 total hydrocarbon) representative of what is found in new homes and office buildings. Because irritation of the nose and throat are symptoms often associated with the upper respiratory tract and may result from an inflammatory response in the upper airways, we have used NAL to monitor PMN influx into the nasal passages following exposure to VOCs. We report statistically significant increases in PMNs both immediately after a 4-hr exposure to VOCs, as well as 18 hr later.