RESPIRATORY AND SYSTEMIC REACTION FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO HEATED ELECTROSTATIC POLYESTER PAINT

A 39 year old nonatopic man developed episodes of cough, dyspnoea, swe ating and shivers within 2-3 weeks of starting a new job in a factory where metallic boards were treated with an electrostatic powder paint, made of an epoxy resin and a carboxylated polyester containing polyet hylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate. The subject spray ed the metallic boards which were then heated in 200-degrees-C ovens. The subject was first seen in an emergency room after being at work fo r 4 h. The physical examination revealed bilateral wheezing with fever (39-degrees-C), hypoxaemia (arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) 58 torr (7 .7 kPa), leucocytosis (white blood count cells.mm-3 17,000 (17x10(9) c ells.l-1) and severe airway obstruction (forced expiratory volume in o ne second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity, (FVC) 1.3/2.4 1, improving to 2.2/3.8 l after bronchodilator; predicted values = 3.4/4.1 l). The sub jects condition improved after being treated with oral steroids. His s pirometry was normal two weeks later, although he showed mild bronchia l hyperresponsiveness to methacholine with the (provocative concentrat ion producing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20) being 1.7 mg.ml-1). The subjec t underwent specific inhalation challenges at the workplace 4 months l ater. After being exposed at work for 4 h, he developed a significant fall in FEV1 (40%), fever, leucocytosis, and a fall in diffusing capac ity. Lung function tests were back to normal two weeks later. Exposing the subject to heated granulated polyester for one hour in a hospital laboratory produced a fall in FEV1 of 41%, fever, leucocytosis and a fall in diffusing capacity. Nine months later, the subject still had s ymptoms of mild asthma and his PC20 was 0.2 mg.ml-1. To the best of ou r knowledge, this is the first account of occupational asthma and an a lveolitis-type reaction after exposure to polyester.