caa a22 4500 463194330 CHVBK 20180406164918.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170326e20070201xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00420-006-0133-4 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00420-006-0133-4 Alterations in health examination items and skin symptoms from exposure to ultra-low humidity [Elektronische Daten] [Tzu-Chieh Chou, Kuen-Huei Lin, Hamm-Min Sheu, Shih-Bin Su, Chia-Wei Lee, How-Ran Guo, Trong-Neng Wu, Ho-Yuan Chang] Objectives: Several lines of evidence have shown that insufficient humidity could result in health problems but no studies have been performed in ultra-low humidity (ULH) environments. The aims of this study are to investigate the health examination items alterations and skin symptoms of workers exposed to ULH environment based on a longitudinal study design. Methods: Twelve male ULH (RH=1.5%) workers and 12 age-sex-matched reference workers were selected. The examination items in blood and urine as well as the skin problems were compared between ULH workers and controls, and between ULH workers in 2000 and 2003. Biochemistry analysis of blood and urine were implemented from annual health examinations. Information on skin symptoms and diseases were obtained from a structured questionnaire in 2000 and 2003. Results: The alterations in mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and total cholesterol in blood analysis and only sediment-WBC in urine analysis were found significantly different in 2000. These changes were almost fully recovered in 2003 although a consistently significant elevation in the urine specific gravity was found during the 3-year follow-up period. Skin disorders, however, showed an earlier elevated itching symptom in lower limb and pretibial that developed to physician-diagnosed contact dermatitis. Conclusions: Long-term ULH exposure could cause progressive pathological changes in the skin and urine concentration elevation. Because low humidity condition occurs frequently in air-conditioned buildings, the findings of this study suggest the population long-term exposed to low humidity should be cautious about health manifestations living in a low humidity environment. While the indoor environment is equipped with an air-conditioner, continuous monitoring on the humidity is recommended. Springer-Verlag, 2006 Ultra-low humidity nationallicence Indoor environment nationallicence Biochemical examination nationallicence Skin diseases nationallicence Skin symptoms nationallicence ULH : Ultra-low humidity nationallicence RBC : Red blood cell nationallicence WBC : White blood cell nationallicence MCV : Mean corpuscular volume nationallicence MCH : Mean corpuscular hemoglobin nationallicence MCHC : Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration nationallicence AST : Aspartate aminotransferase nationallicence ALT : Alanine aminotransferase nationallicence BUN : Blood urea nitrogen nationallicence Chou Tzu-Chieh Graduate Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University and Hospital, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, 404, Taichung, Taiwan aut Lin Kuen-Huei Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 2 Juo-yue Road, Nantz District, 811, Kaohsiung, Taiwan aut Sheu Hamm-Min Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut Su Shih-Bin Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut Lee Chia-Wei Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 2 Juo-yue Road, Nantz District, 811, Kaohsiung, Taiwan aut Guo How-Ran Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut Wu Trong-Neng Graduate Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University and Hospital, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, 404, Taichung, Taiwan aut Chang Ho-Yuan Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Springer-Verlag 80/4(2007-02-01), 290-297 0340-0131 80:4<290 2007 80 420 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0133-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0133-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Chou Tzu-Chieh Graduate Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University and Hospital, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, 404, Taichung, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Lin Kuen-Huei Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 2 Juo-yue Road, Nantz District, 811, Kaohsiung, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Sheu Hamm-Min Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Su Shih-Bin Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Lee Chia-Wei Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 2 Juo-yue Road, Nantz District, 811, Kaohsiung, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Guo How-Ran Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Wu Trong-Neng Graduate Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University and Hospital, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, 404, Taichung, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Chang Ho-Yuan Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, 704, Tainan, Taiwan aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Springer-Verlag 80/4(2007-02-01), 290-297 0340-0131 80:4<290 2007 80 420 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer