Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0034067 (emphysema)
 11,506 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The purpose of the National Exposure Registry is to assess the long-term health consequences to a general population from long-term, low-level exposures to specific substances in the environment. This study investigates the health outcomes of 1,143 persons (1,127 living, 16 deceased) living in south central Texas who had documented environmental exposure to benzene (up to 66ppb) in tap water. As with all subregistries, face-to-face interviews were used to collect self-reported information for 25 general health status questions. Using computer-assisted telephone interviewing, the same health questions were asked 1 year (Followup 1, F1) and 2 years later (Followup 2, F2). The health outcome rates for Baseline and Followup 1 and 2 data collections for the Benzene Subregistry were compared with national norms, that is, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) rates. For at least one of the three reporting periods, specific age and sex groups of the Benzene Subregistry population reported more adverse health outcomes when compared with the NHIS population, including anemia and other blood disorders, ulcers, gall bladder trouble, and stomach or intestinal problems, stroke, urinary tract disorders, skin rashes, diabetes, kidney disease, and respiratory allergies. Statistically significant deficits for the Benzene Subregistry population overall were found for asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis; arthritis, rheumatism, or other joint disorders; hearing impairment; and speech impairment. No statistically significant differences between the two populations were seen for the outcomes hypertension; liver disease; mental retardation; or cancer. These results do not identify a causal relationship between benzene exposure and adverse health effects; however, they do reinforce the need for continued followup of registrants.
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PMID:The National Exposure Registry: analyses of health outcomes from the benzene subregistry. 956 45

Electrosurgical techniques including laser surgery have expanded greatly in recent years. Pyrolysis of tissue produces smoke. Recently the smoke is being analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The nature of smoke depends on the rise of temperature of tissue during electro-surgery. The smoke produced at high temperatures contains low concentration of Group-I carcinogens (IARC) such as Benzene, Hydrogen cyanide, Formaldehyde 1,3-Butadiene and Acrylonitrile. Bioaerosol produced at low temperature as in harmonic scissors may contain live multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, viral DNA of HBV, HCV, HIV and HPV. It also contains live malignant cells and dead cellular materials. These produce an unquantified infection risk. The obnoxious smoke causes ocular and upper respiratory tract irritation, creates visual problems for surgeons. Surgical masks are not capable of filtering the produced bioaerosol. Removal of smoke from the site of operation by local exhaust ventilation is not complete. When produced in a closed cavity as in laparoscopic surgery the patient also suffers from carboxyhaemoglobinaemia and methaemoglobinaemia. Methemoglobinaemia is not detected by standard pulse-oximetry. Laser smoke produces congestive interstitial pneumonia, bronchiolitis and emphysema in rats. Chromosomal aberration and sister chromatid exchange have been found in lymphocyte culture of operating room personnel. Occupational safety and health authorities like Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Occupational safety and Health (NIOSH), American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and Association of Operating room nurses (AORN) are trying to find effective ways for removal of smoke from site of operation and also the real risk to operating room personnel. Answer lies in minimizing the use of electrocautery whenever possible and completes removal of harmful smoke.
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PMID:Electrosurgical smoke: a real concern. 2180 21