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Adam V. Wisnewski1,*, Meredith H. Stowe1, Abby Nerlinger1, Paul Opare-addo1, David Decamp2, Christopher R. Kleinsmith3 and Carrie A. Redlich11Department of Internal Medicine, Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8057, USA 2Department of Occupational Medicine, US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright–Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433, USA 375 AMDS/SGPO Hill Air Force Base, UT 84056, USA ?* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: (203)-737-2544; fax: (203)-785-3826; e-mail: adam.wisnewski{at}yale.edu Received December 28, 2011. Accepted February 24, 2012. Objectives: Isocyanate chemicals essential for polyurethane production are widely used industrially, and are increasingly found in consumer products. Asthma and other adverse health effects of isocyanates are well-documented and exposure surveillance is crucial to disease prevention. Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI)-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) was evaluated as an exposure biomarker among workers at a US Air Force Air Logistics Center, which includes a large aircraft maintenance facility. Methods: HDI-specific IgG (HDI-IgG) titers in serum samples (n = 74) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based upon the biuret form of HDI conjugated to human albumin. Information on personal protective equipment (PPE), work location/tasks, smoking, asthma history, basic demographics, and HDI skin exposure was obtained through questionnaire. Results: HDI-specific serum IgG levels were elevated in n = 17 (23%) of the workers studied. The prevalence and/or end-titer of the HDI-IgG was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with specific job titles, self-reported skin exposure, night-shift work, and respirator use, but not atopy, asthma, or other demographic information. The highest titers were localized to specific worksites (C-130 painting), while other worksites (generator painting) had no or few workers with detectable HDI-IgG. Conclusions: HDI-specific immune responses (IgG) provide a practical biomarker to aid in exposure surveillance and ongoing industrial hygiene efforts. The strategy may supplement current air sampling approaches, which do not assess exposures via skin, or variability in PPE use or effectiveness. The approach may also be applicable to evaluating isocyanate exposures in other settings, and may extend to other chemical allergens. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society [2012]This ArticleAnn Occup Hyg (2012) 56 (8): 901-910. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mes024 First published online: March 26, 2012 Current Issue
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