Abstract：Objective To investigate the pulmonary function and imageological examination results of workers occupationally-exposued to indium, and to explore the impairment effect of occupational indium exposure on health. Methods We collected the general information of 1,139 pre-service workers (the control group) and 650 workers with indium exposure (the exposure group) from a precision instrument company in Zhengzhou, and then retrospectively analyzed their examination results of lung function and X-ray high-voltage chest radiograph. Results The forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were significantly lower in male workers of the exposure group than in male ones of the control group ((4.24±0.58) L vs. (4.37±0.61)L, (3.83±0.49)L vs. (3.94±0.53) L), with statistically significant differences (both P<0.05 ). The FVC values of female workers of the exposure group and the control group were (3.00±0.43) L and (3.09±0.44)L respectively, and the FEV1 of female workers of the two groups was (2.67±0.32)L and (2.76±0.39) L respectively, showing statistically significant differences (both P<0.05 ). The results of X-ray high-voltage chest radiograph showed that no statistically significant differences were found in the abnormal high-density shadow cases (P>0.05) between the exposure group (16.92‰, 11/650) and the control group (14.93‰, 17/1,139). Conclusion Occupational indium exposure may lead to lung function decline in the exposed workers.
2017, Vol. 24 
