Occupational Medicine 1998;48:113-117
© 1998 Society of Occupational Medicine
research-article |
Headache and blood pressure among triethylamine-exposed foundry workers
Porin Lääkäritalon Työterveys Oy, Occupational Health and Surgery, Aittaluodon terveysasema Aittaluodokatu 7, FIN-28100 Pori, Finland
This study attempted to determine whether Cold box core makers exposed to triethylamine in foundries experienced headaches or had elevated blood pressure more often than workers without TEA exposure, as proposed by earlier reports. Forty-one core makers in three foundries and 82 referents were interviewed according to a structured questionnaire, and their blood pressure was measured. TEA exposure was determined from breathing-zone measurements. The 8-h time-weighted average TEA exposure varied between 0.3–60 mg/m3. The core makers did not report that they had the general symptoms of headaches more often than the referents. However, they had mild weekly headaches more often (44% vs. 17%). The core makers also reported headaches more often during the workweeks (45% vs. 19%). It seems likely that TEA exposure provokes mild headache among persons prone to suffer from vascular headaches. There was no difference in the occurrence of severe headaches or in the duration of headaches between the groups. The blood pressures were similar in both groups.
Keywords Blood pressure; cold box cores; foundry; headache; triethylamine
Received 7 July 1997
Accepted 9 September 1997
Correspondence and reprint requests to: P. Järvinen, Porin Lääkäritalon Työterveys Oy, Occupational Health and Surgery, Aittaluodon terveysasema, Aittaluodokatu 7, FIN-28100 Pori, Finland. Tel: (+358) (0)204 80 3047; Fax: (+358) (0)204 80 3078