Henry Glindmeyer, D. Eng. - Dr. Glindmeyer has a long-standing collaborative research effort in occupational lung disease with Robert Jones, M.D. These studies examine whether occupational respiratory exposure is associated with accelerated annual decline in lung function or development of reactive airways disease. The existence of an exposure-response relationship will be investigated with a 6 year longitudinal study (baseline lung function tests with 5 years of followup) of a cohort of approximately 5,000 production workers at 10 wood processing plants located throughout the United States will be conducted. These plants were selected as representative of all aspects of the wood processing industry, from sawmills to finished furniture. Information regarding potential confounders and risk factors will be collected during the followup. Analyses of health data, including approximately 15,000 exposure measures of inhalable, thoracic and respirable dust will allow for the accurate assessments of the hazardous potential of wood dust exposures, and their effects on the health of individuals working in this industry. Another continuing project examines the respiratory effects of chronic and acute (gassing) exposures to irritant chemicals in the pulp and paper industry. The population consists of approximately 50,000 workers at approximately 50 plants located throughout the United States. Periodic testing of workers, along with additional testings triggered by gassing incidents, will allow for the assessment of the hazardous potential of chronic low level and/or acute high level (gassing) irritant exposures on workers, especially susceptible workers (asthmatics). He has shown, in a paper recently submitted, that this exposure can increase asthma symptom scores. Lastly, he is studying, under funding from the NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, workers suspected of having occupational asthma induced by exposure to low-molecular weight haptens, especially isocyanates and anhydrides. The specific aims of the project are: 1. To objectively confirm the diagnosis of specific asthma induced by low molecular weight haptens, for example isocyanates and anhydrides, in workers through clinical challenge tests; 2.To provide quantitative respiratory function and other health data from clinically challenged workers that can be used in assessing the natural history of the specific asthma for correlation with job classifications, work place exposures and clinical data such as non-specific bronchial hyper-reactivity; and 3.To provide biological specimens from clinically challenged workers for the examination of markers of exposure and disease. This will afford researchers the opportunity to evaluate such markers before and after a controlled, well-defined exposure.
Henry W. Glindmeyer, D. Engr
1. Research accomplishments over the past year.
a. Principal Investigator, Respiratory Effects of Occupational Exposure to Wood Dust.
Completed year 4 data collection of this large 6-year research grant and the following related paper entitled Field Comparison of Total and Size-Selected Particulate Measurements in the Wood-Processing Industry by Rando RJ, Mokadam D, Poovey HG, Brisolara J, and Glindmeyer HW, was presented at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Exposition, San Diego, CA, June 1-6, 2002.
In addition the following related paper entitled Why Respiratory Protection Fails To Protect by Henry Glindmeyer, was submitted to the Journal of the International Society of Respiratory Protection.
b. Principal Investigator, Respiratory Health Effects of Exposure to Irritant Chemicals. The Project and research completed.
Final paper entitled Relationship Of Asthma To Irritant Gas Exposures In Pulp And Paper Mills by Henry W. Glindmeyer, John J. Lefante, Laurie M. Freyder, Mitchell Friedman, Hans Weill, and Robert N. Jones is in press and will be published in the May 2003 issue of the Journal of Respiratory Medicine.
c. Principal investigator, PNOR/PNOC Exposures and the Development of COPD.
Completed first year analysis of this 3 year CDC/NIOSH project resulting in 2 manuscripts currently in the final internal review process of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health entitled:
Spray-Painting And Chronic Airways Obstruction by Henry Glindmeyer, John J. Lefante, Jr., Roy J. Rando, Laurie Freyder, Eva Hnizdo, Mitchell Friedman, and Robert N. Jones. We anticipate submitting this paper to the Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine within the next 30 days.
Impact Of Work In Industry And Occupation On Prevalence Of Chronic Obstructive Disease In The U.S. Population by Hnizdo Eva, Glindmeyer Henry, Petsonk Lee. WE anticipate submitting this paper to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in the next 60 days.
Submitted two abstracts that were accepted and will be presented at the ATS International Conference in 2003 entitled:
Isocyanate-Based Spray-Paint Exposure And Change In Lung Function, Henry Glindmeyer, John J. Lefante, Jr., Roy J. Rando, Laurie Freyder, Eva Hnizdo, Mitchell Friedman, and Robert N. Jones. This abstract has been accepted for oral presentation at the ATS 99th International Conference on May 21, 2003.
Prevalence Of Chronic Obstructive Disease In Relation To Work In Industry And Occupation In The US Population, Hnizdo Eva, Glindmeyer Henry, and Attfield Michael. This abstract has been accepted for poster presentation at the ATS 99th International Conference on May 21, 2003.
d. Participating Investigator: Respiratory Health Effects Of Man Made Mineral Fibers.
Project completed and the following paper is in preparation for publication:
Respiratory Health Of Manmade Vitreous Fiber Manufacturing Employees. Hughes J M, Weill H, Glindmeyer H W, Chase J, Jones R N, and Allison Sabel
e. Other research related activies.
The following abstract entitled Effect Of Ethanol Ingestion On The Accuracy Of Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity Measurement F. Someone, J. Wiese, H. Glindmeyer, J. Renfroe, and J. Lasky was presented at ATS 98th International Conference in May 2002.
2.Teaching
Teaching Responsibilities (Department of Engineering)
Origin and Control of Air Pollution: 3.0 credit hour undergraduate and graduate course: CVEN-438 and CVEN-638 taught in the Fall Semester.
Hydraulic Engineering: 4.0 credit hour undergraduate course including laboratory: CVEN-346 taught in the Spring Semester.
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