0143 A 10year prospective study of toner handling workers

Purpose To measure the risk of pulmonary disease due to toner dust exposure, in a 10 year prospective cohort study among toner handling workers. Methods Subjects that were included in the analysis of this study were 260 male employees of a Japanese photocopier, printer and toner production company. Onset of pneumoconiosis, pulmonary fibrosis, granulomatous pneumonia and lung cancer were assumed as endpoints of the investigation, and blood markers (KL-6,SP-D), respiratory function index and the chest CT shadow reading were used as substitute end-points for before the onset of these diseases. Disease onset was determined via a self-administered questionnaire, blood tests and respiratory function tests were conducted once a year, while Chest CT examinations were conducted in the 1 st, 5th and 10th year of the study. Subjects were classified by duration of toner handling work into four groups - long-exposure (>20 years): n=65 (mean 40 years, smoking rate 35%); medium-exposure (10-20 years): n=71 (mean age 31.9 years, smoking rate 47.9%), and short-exposure (