OBJECTIVE: Acute exposure to chlorine causes lung damage, and recovery may proceed slowly for several weeks. The short term respiratory effects of acute chlorine inhalation during a swimming pool accident were examined. METHODS: A total of 282 subjects (134 children, aged <14 years) inhaled hydrogen chloride and sodium hypochlorite during an accident caused by a malfunction of the water chlorinating system in a community pool in Rome in 1998. Most people received bronchodilators and cortisone at the emergency room; five children were admitted to hospital. A total of 260 subjects (92.2%) were interviewed about duration of exposure (<3, 3--5, >5 minutes), intensity of exposure (not at all or a little, a moderate amount, a lot), and respiratory symptoms. Lung function was measured in 184 people (82 children) after 15--30 days. The effects of exposure to chlorine were analysed through multiple linear regression, separately in adults and in children. RESULTS: Acute respiratory symptoms occurred among 66.7% of adults and 71.6% of children. The incidences were highest among those who had chronic respiratory disease and had a longer duration of exposure. In about 30% of the subjects, respiratory symptoms persisted for 15--30 days after the accident. Lung function levels were lower in those who reported a high intensity of exposure than in those who reported low exposure, both in children and in adults (mean (95% confidence interval (95% CI)) differences in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1,)) were -109 (-310 to 93) ml, and -275 (-510 to -40) ml, respectively). CONCLUSION: Persistent symptoms and lung function impairment were found up to 1 month after the incident. Although community pool accidents happen rarely, the medical community needs to be alerted to the possible clinical and physiological sequelae, especially among susceptible people.
OBJECTIVE: Acute exposure to chlorine causes lung damage, and recovery may proceed slowly for several weeks. The short term respiratory effects of acute chlorine inhalation during a swimming pool accident were examined. METHODS: A total of 282 subjects (134 children, aged <14 years) inhaled hydrogen chloride and sodium hypochlorite during an accident caused by a malfunction of the water chlorinating system in a community pool in Rome in 1998. Most people received bronchodilators and cortisone at the emergency room; five children were admitted to hospital. A total of 260 subjects (92.2%) were interviewed about duration of exposure (<3, 3--5, >5 minutes), intensity of exposure (not at all or a little, a moderate amount, a lot), and respiratory symptoms. Lung function was measured in 184 people (82 children) after 15--30 days. The effects of exposure to chlorine were analysed through multiple linear regression, separately in adults and in children. RESULTS: Acute respiratory symptoms occurred among 66.7% of adults and 71.6% of children. The incidences were highest among those who had chronic respiratory disease and had a longer duration of exposure. In about 30% of the subjects, respiratory symptoms persisted for 15--30 days after the accident. Lung function levels were lower in those who reported a high intensity of exposure than in those who reported low exposure, both in children and in adults (mean (95% confidence interval (95% CI)) differences in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1,)) were -109 (-310 to 93) ml, and -275 (-510 to -40) ml, respectively). CONCLUSION: Persistent symptoms and lung function impairment were found up to 1 month after the incident. Although community pool accidents happen rarely, the medical community needs to be alerted to the possible clinical and physiological sequelae, especially among susceptible people.
Authors: D Gautrin; C Leroyer; C Infante-Rivard; H Ghezzo; J G Dufour; D Girard; J L Malo Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 1999-10 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: James A Lambert; Matthew A Carlisle; Adam Lam; Saurabh Aggarwal; Stephen Doran; Changchun Ren; Wayne E Bradley; Louis Dell'Italia; Namasivayam Ambalavanan; David A Ford; Rakesh P Patel; Tamas Jilling; Sadis Matalon Journal: Hypertension Date: 2017-06-12 Impact factor: 10.190
Authors: Maria C Mirabelli; Mario Olivieri; Hans Kromhout; Dan Norbäck; Katja Radon; Kjell Torén; Marc van Sprundel; Simona Villani; Jan-Paul Zock Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2009-01 Impact factor: 2.214