Prevalence of hands skin abnormalities and latex-specific IgE antibodies in workers using rubber gloves

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 13670392
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: KANAZAWA MEDICAL UNIVERCITY
• Principal Investigator: HONDA Ryumon KANAZAWA MEDICAL UNIVERCITY, Kanazawa Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Lecturer (60097441)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YAMADA Yuichi Kanazawa Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor (70158228) ; ISHIZAKI Masao Kanazawa Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Associate professor (10184516)
• Project Period (FY): 2001 – 2002
• Keywords: latex allergies / rubber gloves / RAST (IgE antibody) / contact dermatitis / atopic dermatitis / Shift worker

Research Abstract

Natural rubber latex has become an important occupational health concern in recent years, particularly among health care workers, whereas the reports on the other occupational workers who routinely wear latex gloves have been rare. Therefore we examined hands skin abnormalities caused by rubber (latex) gloves among workers in an electronic-parts factory.
The total subjects were 965 male and 50 female workers who participated in an annual health check-up. The information about hands skin abnormalities were obtained by a self-recorded questionnaire as well as by a doctor's observation. Latex-specific IgE antibody was assayed by radio allergo sorbent test (RAST) (Pharmacia).
RAST was positive in 16 (2.2%) of 736 rubber-gloves-users and 7(3.3%) of 210 non-users, and the difference in the positive rates between the two groups was not statistically significant. The higher levels of the antibody (class 3 and 4), however, were observed by one in each class in the rubber-gloves-users. Recorded subjective symptoms in hands were seen in 184(25.6%) of 718 rubber-gloves-users who answered the questionnaire. In medical histories atopic dermatitis was seen in significantly higher proportion (12.5%) in the 184 subjects with subjective symptoms comparing with 5.2% in 534 subjects with no subjective symptoms (p=0.002). Itching was the most frequent subjective symptom (59.8%) and scale was the next (45.7%). Scale symptom rates tended to be differ in types of job (p=0.070) ; 51.2% in manufacture (rubber gloves are regularly used), 34.8% in technique, 27.3% in others. There was no subjects who had any abnormalities in hands at the time of the health check-up.
These results suggests that the almost abnormalities (recorded subjective symptoms) were any other contact dermatitis than latex allergies.