An immunologic and genetic study of asthma in workers in an aluminum smelter

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · JOM, Journal of Occupational Medicine; (USA)

OSTI ID:6143328

Mackay, I R; Oliphant, R C; Laby, B; Smith, M M; Fisher, J N; Mitchell, R J; Propert, D N; Tait, B D ^[1]

---

1. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville (Australia)

The cause or causes of asthma among employees in aluminum smelters is unknown. We attempted to ascertain whether such workers who developed asthma differed in respect to indices of immunological function and certain genetic markers. Data were collected from 33 asthmatic and 127 nonasthmatic potroom workers. Asthmatic workers had significantly lower mean serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)M; however, mean levels of IgG and IgA, median levels of IgE, the capacity for recall of delayed type hypersensitivity, levels of immune complexes, and frequency of antinuclear or other autoantibodies did not differ from values for nonasthmatic workers. Asthma was found to develop on a background of atopy in 21 workers (64%), whereas there were no features of atopy in 12 workers (36%). Cigarette smoking had independent effects on immunological function. In respect to genetic markers, there was a higher frequency among asthmatic workers of the alpha-1-anti-trypsin deficiency phenotype MS, but the frequency of blood groups, Gm allotypes, or human leucocyte antigen types was similar. The study established that the profile of immune function, or genetic markers tested, did not differ essentially for workers in an aluminum smelter who did or did not develop asthma; however, there was an indication of heterogeneity in causation, as judged by atopy-related and non-atopy-related groups in the asthma population.

• OSTI ID: 6143328
• Journal Information: JOM, Journal of Occupational Medicine; (USA), Vol. 32:10; ISSN 0096-1736
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALUMINIUM
TOXICITY
ASTHMA
EPIDEMIOLOGY
ANTIBODIES
ANTIGENS
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BLOOD GROUPS
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
PHENOTYPE
SMELTERS
TOBACCO SMOKES
AEROSOLS
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
GLOBULINS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SMOKES
SOLS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology