가습기 살균제 폐 손상 피해자의 살균제 노출 특성 -태아와 임산부 노출을 중심으로 -

Abstract

In South Korea, many cases of humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury (HDLI) have been reported amongpeople who used humidifier products containing humidifier disinfectant (HD). The objective of this study is tocharacterize exposure to HD among a total of 221 HDLI patients who used HD. Information and data on theHDs used were collected through a structured questionnaire and home environmental investigations. Theconditions of these 221 HDLI patients were clinically confirmed to be caused by the use of HD. Children agedunder 5 years old made up the highest proportion of HDLI cases (n=125, 56.6 %), followed by pregnant women(n=35, 15.8%). Forty-three percent (n=95) of the victims died. There were three cases of fetuses and 35 pregnantwomen among the victims. The number of HDLI patients who used only the Oxy Saksak brand of HD wasfound to be 85 (38.5%), followed by the HD brands Cefu (n=24, 10.9%), Lottemart Wiselect (n=9, 4.1%) andAekyung (n=3). Patients who exclusively used HD brands containing polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate(PHMG) (n=13, 55.7%) as an active ingredient made up the largest share, followed by those who exclusively used HD containing only oligo(2-(2-ethoxy) ethoxyethyl guanidinium (PGH) (n=24, 10.9%) and by those whoonly used a mixture of chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) (n=3, 1.4%). HDproducts containing PHMG were found to be the most commonly used among the confirmed HDLI patients. Three exposed fetuses who never used HD after birth developed lung injuries, indicating a probability ofexposure to HD during gestation. All HDLI patients responded that they used HD while sleeping and for longerthan 10 hours per day. In conclusion, the development of HDLI was clinically found to be associated with theuse of several HD products containing PHMG, PGH and CMIT/MIT.