SVIBOR - Project code: 3-01-375

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Project code: 3-01-375

THE INFLUENCE OF ALUMINIUM INDUSTRY AIR POLLUTANTS ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM IN CHILDREN IN THE ŠIBENIK AREA

Main researcher: MERLAK, IVO (104472)

Assistants

JUROŠ, ANTE (167336)
OFNER, BRANKO (164153)
BORIĆ, ZLATKO (164142)
ČALA, DUBRAVKA (164131)

Type of research: applied
Duration from: 01/01/91. to 12/31/97.

Papers on project (total): 2

Institution name: Opća bolnica, Znanstvena jedinica, Šibenik (176)
Department/Institute: Saintifice unit Medicinski centar Šibenik
Address: Opća bolnica Šibenik(znanstvena jedinica)Stjepana Radića 83.
City: 22000 - Šibenik, Croatia

Communication: Phone: 385 (0)59 22-499; Fax: 385 (0)59 32-887

Summary: Respiratory system disorders in chlidren who have spent the majority of their life and schooling in close vicinity of thealuminium reduction plant in Šibenik are analysed. The respiratory questionnare and spirometric ventilatory evaluation, includingnonspecific metacholine bronchoprovocation, were used. The control group comprised an equal number of children living within 10 km of the plant. The respiratory questionnaire analysys showed nonsignificiant differences between the two groups. Neither anthropometric nor spirometric measurements showed significiant differences. The mean ages were 12.3 and 13 years respectively. Metacholine challenge showed a fall in FEV 1 in 43 (55.1%) of 78 exposed subjects. A significiant decrease (20% and more) was found in 2.6% of children from that group. There were 40 (64.5%) responsive cases of total of 62 control cases, and a significiantfall was observed in 6.5%

Keywords: school children, aluminium industry, vicinity, respiratory questionnaire, metacholine bronchoprovocation

Research goals: The main purpose of this study is to determine the differences in respiratory symptoms, respirratory function tests and nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness between school children who have spent the majority of their life and schooling in the vicincity of the aluminium plant (using the prebake technology) and the control group not exposed to air pollutants. Unfortunately, we were forced to exclude the acute exposition index (sputum macrophagiand urine fluorides) since the aluminium production process was interruped by the war in September 1991. Similar studies in the availabile literature suggest rather controversial results, requiring further research on environmental risk factors for children residing in the vicinity of aluminium production industry. Neither respiratory symptoms evaluated trough a questionnaire not spirometric measurements showed significiant differences between the two groups.We observed a slightly stronger bronchial responsiveness in the control group.A smaller dose of metacholine was required to provoke the same response inthe non-exposed subjects, which was substantiaed by the analysis of the dose-response curve.

Other information about the project.


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