Induced sputum abnormalities in gas station attendants

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health 2022-03, Vol.95 (2), p.341-349
• Main Authors: da Silva, Tiago Henrique Garcia, Gastaldi, Ada Clarice, Santos, Marcel Koenigkam, de Martinis, Bruno Spinosa, Baddini-Martinez, José
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Archives & records; Asthma; Automation; Biomarkers; Chemokines; Cytokines; Dyspnea; Earth and Environmental Science; Emphysema; Environment; Environmental Health; Gasoline; Hydrocarbons; Immune response; Immunology; Inflammation; Inhalation; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 12; Interleukin 3; Interleukin 4; Interleukin 5; Lungs; Lymphocytes; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Questionnaires; Rehabilitation; Respiration; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory function; Service stations; Smoking; Software; Spirometry; Sputum; Tomography; Vapors; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01755-2

Purpose To investigate inflammatory changes in the induced sputum (IS) of gas station attendants (GSAs) at risk of exposure to fuel vapors through inhalation and susceptible to respiratory complaints and impaired lung function. Methods Hypertonic saline-IS was collected from 52 GSAs who had never smoked (42 men, age = 35.9 ± 8.9 years) and had no known comorbidities. A group of 22 non-smokers (11 men, age = 30.5 ± 5.1 years) selected from the University staff served as control. The GSAs answered a questionnaire and underwent spirometry and chest tomography. A total of 15 inflammatory biomarkers associated with inflammation, including cytokines, chemokines, and mediators of immunological response, were also measured. Results The most common symptoms of GSAs were coughing (42.3%) and dyspnea (59.6%) based on the New York Heart Association (NYHA; Class II) classification. Significant elevations ( p