Exposure characteristics of familial cases of lung injury associated with the use of humidifier disinfectants
- Authors
- Park, Donguk; Leem, Jonghan; Lee, Kyoungmu; Lim, Heungkyu; Choi, Yeyong; Ahn, Jong-Ju; Lim, Sinye; Park, Jeongim; Choi, Kyungho; Lee, Naroo; Jung, Hyejung; Ha, Jongsik; Paek, Domyung
- Issue Date
- 2-Sep-2014
- Publisher
- BioMed Central
- Keywords
- humidifier disinfectants
- Citation
- Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source, v.13
- Journal Title
- Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source
- Volume
- 13
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/sch/handle/2021.sw.sch/11859
- DOI
- 10.1186/1476-069X-13-70
- ISSN
- 1476-069X
- Abstract
- Background: This study describes 17 families with 38 lung injury patients (14 males, 24 females; 22 preschool-age children less than six years of age and 16 individuals of 13-50 years) who used disinfectant added to humidifiers in the home. Methods: Clinical examination and humidifier disinfectant-use histories were taken, and a thorough home investigation was performed to assess exposure to humidifier disinfectant. Results: Nine of the patients (three pregnant females, six preschool-age children) died soon after they first developed lung damage. Six (16%) were pregnant females and 22 (58%) were preschool-aged children younger than six years. The patients used humidifier disinfectant products containing either polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG, n = 36) or oligo(2-(2-ethoxy) ethoxyethyl guanidinium chloride (PGH, n = 2). Twenty-six patients (68%) used the brand "Oxy"(R), which contains PHMG. Of the ten patients with fatal lung injury, nine were found to have used PHMG. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the use of humidifier disinfectant products containing either PGH or PHMG can cause lung injury, especially in preschool-age children younger than six years and pregnant women.
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Collections - College of Natural Sciences > Department of Environmental Health Science > 1. Journal Articles
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