Incidence of welding related symptoms (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 | % | |
| *45 apprentices had dropped by the first follow up assessment. | ||||||||||
| †Having at least one of welding related cough, wheezing, or chest tightness. | ||||||||||
| Systemic | ||||||||||
| Flu-like | 179 | 77.2 | 12 | 5.2 | 14 | 6.0 | 27 | 11.6 | 53 | 22.8 |
| Aches and pains | 193 | 83.2 | 14 | 6.0 | 5 | 2.2 | 20 | 8.6 | 39 | 16.8 |
| Throat | 137 | 59.1 | 37 | 15.9 | 24 | 10.3 | 34 | 14.7 | 95 | 40.9 |
| Digestive | 207 | 89.2 | 9 | 3.9 | 6 | 2.6 | 10 | 4.3 | 25 | 10.8 |
| Taste | 165 | 71.1 | 29 | 12.5 | 24 | 10.3 | 14 | 6.0 | 67 | 28.9 |
| Fatigue | 172 | 74.1 | 19 | 8.2 | 17 | 7.3 | 24 | 10.3 | 60 | 25.9 |
| At least one | 77 | 33.2 | 77 | 33.2 | 41 | 17.7 | 37 | 15.9 | 155 | 66.8 |
| At least one nasal symptom | 158 | 68.1 | 26 | 11.2 | 16 | 6.9 | 32 | 13.8 | 74 | 31.9 |
| At least one ocular symptom | 174 | 75.0 | 14 | 6.0 | 17 | 7.3 | 27 | 11.6 | 58 | 25.0 |
| Respiratory | ||||||||||
| Cough | 209 | 90.1 | 4 | 1.7 | 11 | 4.7 | 8 | 3.4 | 23 | 9.9 |
| Wheezing | 220 | 94.8 | 3 | 1.3 | 4 | 1.7 | 5 | 2.2 | 12 | 5.2 |
| Chest tightness | 219 | 94.4 | 3 | 1.3 | 6 | 2.6 | 4 | 1.7 | 13 | 5.6 |
| At least one symptom suggestive of welding related asthma† | 200 | 86.2 | 7 | 3.0 | 12 | 5.2 | 13 | 5.6 | 32 | 13.8 |