Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-jbqgn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-22T18:07:51.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Occupational rhinitis — possible mechanisms of pathogenesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. R. Welch ,
J. P. Birchall  and
F. W. Stafford
A. R. Welch*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Freeman Hospital, High Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE7 7DN. Fax: 091-213-1968
J. P. Birchall
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Freeman Hospital, High Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE7 7DN. Fax: 091-213-1968
F. W. Stafford
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Freeman Hospital, High Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE7 7DN. Fax: 091-213-1968
*
Address for correspondence: Mr A. R. Welch, F.R.C.S., Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Freeman Hospital, High Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE7 7DN. Fax: 091-213-1968
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Occupational rhinitis has been a prescribed industrial disease in the UK since 1907. It has only relatively recently received significant attention from otorhinolaryngologists although numerous studies have been performed in the past by occupational and industrial health physicians. At the present time the precise mechanisms of pathogenesis are unclear and would appear to be multiple.

Recently interest has arisen because of compensation claims. Diagnosis made on the basis of the clinical history is subject to two problems: firstly, there is difficulty in differentiating between occupational and nonoccupational rhinitis, and secondly, clinical histories can easily be feigned. Physical signs would be a more reliable indicator of occupational damage to the nasal mucosa if they differ from the signs normally found in allergic or vasomotor rhinitis. In a series of 100 shipyard workers dry atrophic nasal mucosa was found in 66and septal ulceration in two. From their clinical histories 78 individuals complained of nasal obstruction, 28 of epistaxis, 42 of hyposmia, 10 of anosmia and 90 of rhinorrhoea. Possible pathogenesis is described

Keywords

RhinitisOccupational exposure
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 109 , Issue 2 , February 1995 , pp. 104 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acheson, E. E, Cowdell, R. R, Hadfield, E. E, Macbeth, R. R (1968) Nasal cancer in woodworkers in the furniture industry. British Medical Journal 2: 587–596.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Acheson, E. E, Cowdell, R. R, Joweles, B. (1970) Nasal cancer in the Northamptonshire boot and shoe industry. British Medical Journal 1: 385–393.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Askergren, A., Mellgren, M. (1975) Changes in nasal mucosa after exposure to copper salt dust. Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment and Health 1: 45–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Doll, R., Morgan, L. L, Speizer, F. F (1970) Cancers of the lung and nasal sinuses in nickel workers. British Journal of Cancer 24: 623–632.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drake-Lee, A. A (1994) Medical treatment of nasal polyps. Rhinology 34: 1–4.Google Scholar
Emmett, E. E (1976) Parosmia and hyposmia induced by solvent exposure. British Journal of Internal Medicine 33: 196–198.Google ScholarPubMed
Gaafar, M., Gergis, R., Hussein, M., Elnemr, R. (1992) The effect of ammonia on the respiratory nasal mucosa of mice. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 112: 339–342.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hadfield, E. E (1970) Damage to the human nasal mucosa by wood dust inhaled particles. British Medical Journal 2: 855–861.Google Scholar
Hellquist, H., Irander, K., Edling, C, Odkvist, L. L (1983) Nasal symptoms and histopathology in a group of spray painters. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 96: 495–500.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holstrom, M., Wilhelmsson, B., Hellquist, H., Rosen, G. (1989) Histological changes in the nasal mucosa in persons occupationally exposed to formaldehyde alone and in combination with wood dust. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 107: 120–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hudson, P., Pineaul, L., Cartier, A. (1984) Follow-up of occupational asthma due to various agents. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 73: 174–177.Google Scholar
Irander, K., Hellquist, H. H, Edling, C., Odkvist, L. L (1980) Upper airway problems in industrial workers exposed to oil mist. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 90: 452–459.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kanerva, L., Vaheri, E. (1993) Occupational allergic rhinitis in Finland. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 64: 565–568.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krawi, A., Sloan, J., Silviu-Dan, E, Perg, Z., Gagnow, D. (1994) Occupational allergy after exposure to caddis flies at an hydroelectric power plant. Occupational and Environmental Health Medicine 51: 408–413.Google Scholar
Moller, D. D, McKey, M. C.Burnstein, I. I (1966) Persistent airways disease caused by toluene diisocyanate. American Review of Respiratory Disease 134: 175–176.Google Scholar
Mygind, N. (1986). Essential allergy, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford/London/Edinburgh, pp 302–307.Google Scholar
Mygind, N., Weeke, B. (eds), Allergic and vasomotor rhinitis, Munksgaard, Copenhagen, pp 97–107.Google Scholar
Nielsen, J., Welinder, H., Skerfving, S., (1989) Allergic airways disease caused by methyl, tetrahydrophthalic and anhydride in epoxy resin. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 15: 154–155.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Odkvist, L. L, Edling, C., Hellquist, H. (1985) Influence of vapours on the nasal mucosa among industry workers. Rhinology 23:121–127.Google ScholarPubMed
Parkes, W. W (1982) Occupational lung disorders, 2nd Edition, Butterworths, London, pp 415–453.Google Scholar
Pedersen, E., Hogetveit, A., Andersen, A. (1973) Cancer of respiratory organs among workers at a nickel refinery in Norway. International Journal of Cancer 12: 32–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rea, W. W (1993) Chemical sensitivity, Vol. 2, Ch. 18, Lewis Publishing, Michigan, USA, pp 4–48.Google Scholar
Steel, J. (1993)Occupational rhinitis (prescribed disease D4). Occupational causation. Commissioned Report, (University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne).Google Scholar
Torjussen, W., Solbereg, L. L, Hogetveit, A. (1979) Histopathological changes of the nasal mucosa in active retired nickel workers. British Journal of Cancer 40: 568–579.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed