• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2020

Objective: The objectives of this study are to report the number of humidifier disinfectant (HD) associated health problems, including HD associated lung injury (HDLI), by year. This data was analyzed by the type of HD and HD brand. Methods: A total of 530 patients registered with the national program on HD through its third round were distributed based on the year when they developed their first health problem including HDLI (N=221). The distribution of health problems at diagnosis was clinically evaluated in order to examine the association between their lung injury and the use of HD. Results: The number of HD associated victims and HDLI patients was found to rise sharply from 2008 to 2011, with a peak in 2011. This trend was found not only for HD brands containing polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG), but also chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT). The number of patients who responded as developing health problems in the specific year was 35 for 2008, 51 for 2009, 108 for 2010 and 182 for 2011. Other types of HD brands and HD chemicals did not follow the trend of abrupt increase in HD associated patients since 2008. Conclusion: This study found the number of HD associated victims and HDLI patients who used HD brands containing PHMG sharply increased starting in 2008. A significant change in the process of manufacturing PHMG can be suspected with the abrupt rise in HD associated patients in specific years.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.224-231
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• 2020

Objective: The objectives of this study are to update the information on the characteristics of humidifier disinfectant (HD) usage with HD associated health problems and to discuss the role of HD exposure assessment in the national program to monitor health problems in patients with HD associated diseases. Method: A total of 201 HD associated patients who registered to undergo clinical examination at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital was interviewed to acquire their responses regarding several HD use characteristics, including type of HD brands used, HD use duration, average daily HD use hours, and the volume of the room in which HD was used. The responses of the HD associated patients to HD use-related questions were compared between responses in the lung injury investigation and this study. Results: The responses of HD associated patients in this study were found to be different from those in the lunginjury investigation. In particular, some of the patients who had not answered in the lung-injury investigation were able to answer thanks to assistance from the investigator in this study. For their responses regarding the name of the most commonly used HD brand, the number of patients who did not answer (N=11) was reduced to eight in this study. Significant changes in the responses of study subjects to questions related to HD use were achieved through the interview in this study. Conclusion: This study found significant changes in the responses regarding HD use characteristics. HD exposure assessment should be included in the program in order to allow surveillance of HD associated health problems.