Occupational Exposure to Welding Fumes Associated With Pulmonary Surfactant Lipid Compositional Changes, Inflammatory Activity, and Pulmonary Functioning.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate alterations in the respiratory tract lining fluid phospholipids and their association with pulmonary function in welding fume-exposed workers. Particles in exhaled air were collected from 134 subjects, and analyzed with mass-spectrometry for the identification of 90 lipid-species. Pulmonary function was assessed via spirometry, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, impulse oscillometry and multiple-breath washout. Data were analyzed using univariate (Wilcoxon rank sum, Kendall tau, linear regression) and multivariate (OPLS, machine learning) statistics. The proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the respiratory tract lining fluid among welding fume exposed were higher among exposed individuals. Two lipid species correlated with diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and small airway dysfunction outcomes. Welding fume exposure may alter respiratory tract lining fluid phospholipid composition, potentially contributing to chronic pulmonary diseases. Further research into these mechanisms is needed.