TY - JOUR
T1 - Peripheral neurologic abnormalities among roofing workers
T2 - Sentinel case and clinical screening
AU - Herbert, Robin
AU - Harris-Abbott, Deborah
AU - Gerr, Fredric
AU - Luo, John
AU - Landrigan, Philip J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Mr. Stuart MacMahon and Ms. Camile Williamson of Local 154 of the United Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers Union for facilitating the screening. The assistance of Ms. Diane Monahan in conducting the screening is also gratefully acknowledged. This study was supported in part by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30-ES00938) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (KO1 -0H00098). Submitted for publication February 6, 1994; revised; accepted for publication December 15, 1994. Requests for reprints should be sent to Robin Herbert, M.D., Division of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Box 1057, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY 10029.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - Peripheral neuropathy developed in a 52-y-old roofer who was exposed to multiple solvents in one-ply roofing systems. Forty roofers who were exposed to various roofing systems were assessed by symptoms, occupational history, standardized physical examination, and measurement of vibrotactile thresholds of the upper and lower extremities. After exclusion of roofers who were predisposed to peripheral neuropathy, we detected abnormal vibrotactile thresholds in 42% (p <.001) of roofers' dominant toes and in 36% (p <.001) of roofers' nondominant toes; fewer roofers had abnormal sensory physical examinations or reported neuritic symptoms. Roofing workers may be at increased risk of peripheral neuropathy, perhaps resulting from exposure to solvents—particularly n-hexane, associated with one-ply roofing systems.
AB - Peripheral neuropathy developed in a 52-y-old roofer who was exposed to multiple solvents in one-ply roofing systems. Forty roofers who were exposed to various roofing systems were assessed by symptoms, occupational history, standardized physical examination, and measurement of vibrotactile thresholds of the upper and lower extremities. After exclusion of roofers who were predisposed to peripheral neuropathy, we detected abnormal vibrotactile thresholds in 42% (p <.001) of roofers' dominant toes and in 36% (p <.001) of roofers' nondominant toes; fewer roofers had abnormal sensory physical examinations or reported neuritic symptoms. Roofing workers may be at increased risk of peripheral neuropathy, perhaps resulting from exposure to solvents—particularly n-hexane, associated with one-ply roofing systems.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028972894&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00039896.1995.9935966
DO - 10.1080/00039896.1995.9935966
M3 - Article
C2 - 7574888
AN - SCOPUS:0028972894
SN - 0003-9896
VL - 50
SP - 349
EP - 354
JO - Archives of Environmental Health
JF - Archives of Environmental Health
IS - 5
ER -