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Microcirculation of ocular fundus in viscose rayon workers exposed to carbon disulfide

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Albrecht von Graefes Archiv für klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A neuro-ophthalmological examination, including fluorescein angiography, has been made of 100 male viscose rayon workers occupationally exposed to carbon disulfide (CS2), and 97 control males (paper-mill workers). Corrected visual acuity, visual field, eye motility, pupillary reactions and biomicroscopy, were found to be normal in all the eyes examined. Fluorescein angiography revealed the filling of retinal vasculature before choroid in 76% of the exposed subjects, and in 70% of the controls. Delayed peripapillary filling, either circumferential or segmental, or both, occurred in 68 exposed and 38 nonexposed; the difference was highly significant (p<0.01). This phenomenon was not correlated with ageing, smoking habits, serum cholesterol level, or glucose tolerance. The intraocular pressures in these eyes were normal. General narrowing and irregularity of vessel calibre were almost equally common findings in both groups. The mean widths of eight arterioles and the narrowest vein were significantly wider in the exposed group (p<0.01, and p<0.05, respectively). No evidence was found for retinopathy attributable to carbon disulfide exposure.

Zusammenfassung

Eine neuro-ophthalmologische Untersuchung und Fluorescein-Angiographie wurde bei 100 Arbeitern einer Viscose-Industrie mit Schwefelkohlenstoffaussetzung (CS2) durchgeführt. Als Kontrollen dienten 97 Arbeiter einer Papierindustrie. Die Sehschärfe mit Korrektur, das Gesichtsfeld, die Augenbewegungen, die Pupillenreaktionen und die Biomikroskopie waren normal.

Die Fluorescein-Angiographie ergab eine initiale Füllung der Netzhautarteriole in 76% der CS2 ausgesetzten Gruppe und in 70 % der Kontrollgruppe. Eine verlangsamte Füllung entweder von zirkumferentem oder segmentalem Typ wurde in 68 Viscosearbeitern und in 38 Kontrollen vorgefunden; der Unterschied war statistisch hochsignifikant (P<0.01). Eine Korrelation zum Alter der Untersuchten, zu den Rauchgewohnheiten, zum Serum-Cholesteringehalt und zur Glucosetoleranz ließ sich nicht erkennen. Der intraoculare Druck war normal. Allgemeine Arteriolenverengung und Kaliberunregelmäßigkeiten waren etwa in gleicher Anzahl in beiden Gruppen vorhanden.

Das mittlere Kaliber von acht Arteriolen und der kleinsten meßbaren Venolen fand sich signifikant weiter in der CS2 ausgesetzten Gruppe (P<0.01 und P<0.05). Eine Schwefelkohlenstoffretinopathie wurde nicht vorgefunden.

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Raitta, C., Tolonen, M. & Nurminen, M. Microcirculation of ocular fundus in viscose rayon workers exposed to carbon disulfide. Albrecht von Graefes Arch. Klin. Ophthalmol. 191, 151–164 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00414942

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