Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 158, Number 1, July 1998, 182-187

Molecular Markers of Acute Upper Airway Inflammation in Workers Exposed to Fuel-Oil Ash

MARK A. WOODIN, RUSS HAUSER, YOUCHENG LIU, THOMAS J. SMITH, PAUL D. SIEGEL, DANIEL M. LEWIS, DAVID J. TOLLERUD, and DAVID C. CHRISTIANI

Department of Epidemiology and Department of Environmental Health (Occupational Health Program), Harvard School of Public Health, and Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, DRDS, Morgantown, West Virginia; and Center for Environmental and Occupational Health, Allegheny University of Health Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Biomarkers in nasal lavage (NL) fluid may be useful in determining the presence and severity of upper airway inflammation. We studied 18 boilermakers overhauling a large, oil-fired boiler and 11 utility workers who served as controls for 6 wk. NL was performed before (NL1), during (NL2), and after (NL3) the overhaul. We measured nasal fluid levels of interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) as markers of response to fuel-oil ash exposure. In boilermakers, MPO was elevated during boiler work versus preboiler work (mean = 33.8 versus 22.7 ng/ml, p < 0.05), and at the 2-wk postexposure lavage (NL3) it had declined to 24.2 ng/ml (p = 0.08). Mean IL-8 levels increased in boilermakers between NL1 and NL2 (mean = 83.8 versus 134.8 pg/ml, p < 0.05), then decreased at NL3 (mean = 134.8 versus 89.0 pg/ml, p < 0.05). Nasal fluid vanadium increased in boilermakers between NL1 and NL2 (median < 1.0 versus 4.7 ppb, respectively, p < 0.05), then decreased at NL3 (median, 4.7 versus < 1.0 ppb, respectively, p < 0.05). Levels of IL-6 and ECP did not change significantly during the study. Utility workers showed no significant change in any marker during the study period. Particulate matter < 10 µm (PM₁₀) levels were higher for boilermakers than for utility workers before boiler work (geometric mean (GM) = 0.40 versus 0.10 mg/m³, p < 0.05). This difference was more significant during boiler work (GM = 0.47 versus 0.13 mg/m³, p < 0.001). Ozone levels were low during the study. These data suggest that exposure to fuel-oil ash results in acute upper airway inflammation, potentially mediated by increased IL-8 levels and the recruitment and activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. These changes were associated with significantly increased PM₁₀ levels and concentrations of upper airway vanadium.

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