Incidence of symptoms* describing MFF (n = 232)†
| Welding related symptoms | No symptom reported at any of the follow up visits | Persistent symptoms | Symptoms present in 1st but not in 2nd follow up visit | Symptoms reported at one or the other of the follow up visits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms reported in 1st follow up visit and persisted | Symptoms reported as of 2nd follow up visit | |||||||||
| n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | |
| *Symptoms were considered present if they occurred 3–10 hours after exposure to welding fumes as reported by the welders. | ||||||||||
| †45 apprentices had dropped by the first follow up assessment. | ||||||||||
| ‡Having at least one of above listed symptoms (fever, feelings of flu, general malaise, chills, dry cough, metallic taste, shortness of breath). | ||||||||||
| Flu-like | ||||||||||
| Fever | 213 | 91.8 | 3 | 1.3 | 6 | 2.6 | 10 | 4.3 | 19 | 8.2 |
| Feelings of “flu” | 198 | 85.3 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 4.3 | 17 | 7.3 | 34 | 14.7 |
| General malaise | 223 | 96.1 | 2 | 0.9 | 3 | 1.3 | 4 | 1.7 | 9 | 3.9 |
| Chills | 211 | 90.9 | 5 | 2.2 | 8 | 3.4 | 8 | 3.4 | 21 | 9.1 |
| Throat | ||||||||||
| Dry cough | 199 | 85.8 | 7 | 3.0 | 11 | 4.7 | 15 | 6.5 | 33 | 14.2 |
| Taste | ||||||||||
| Metallic taste | 171 | 73.7 | 21 | 9.1 | 30 | 12.9 | 10 | 4.3 | 61 | 26.4 |
| Shortness of breath | 203 | 87.5 | 6 | 2.6 | 9 | 3.9 | 14 | 6 | 29 | 12.5 |
| At least one symptom suggestive of MFF‡ | 141 | 60.8 | 22 | 9.5 | 37 | 15.9 | 32 | 13.8 | 91 | 39.2 |