A PILOT INVESTIGATION ON HUMAN SERUM FORMALDEHYDE-SPECIFIC IGE

摘要

Sensitizing potency of air formaldehyde during 4 weeks of an anatomy dissection course was investigated in 8 medical students. Serum formaldehyde-specific IgE antibodies by ELISA were assessed after the course. At beginning and ending of the course, primarily irritant and systemic symptoms experienced during the dissection lessons were noted. Indoor formaldehyde levels were measured continuously. The mean indoor formaldehyde level was 0.598±0.088ppm. Serum formaldehyde-specific IgE antibodies were found in none of the students after the course. Assessment of symptoms during the lesson revealed significant increase tendency: fatigue in 7/8 students (p＜0.001), headache in 6/8 students (p＜0.001), sneezing in 5/8 students (p＜0.001), burning eyes in 4/8 students (p＜0.003), paraesthesia in 4/8 students (p＜0.005), and cough in 3/8 students (p＜0.028). According to our investigated data, 4 weeks exposure to formaldehyde during an anatomy dissection course does not induce formaldehyde-specific IgE.