Sleep Apnea in Organic Solvent Exposed Workers

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of sleep apnea in solvent exposed workers and to find out the relationship between exposure level and sleep apnea. Materials and Methods: The study group included street sign painters who were exposed to solvent daily. Solvent exposure level was categorized according to Heiskel’s classification. Neurobehavioral symptoms were assessed using Questionnaire 16. Polysomnographic data and Questionnaire 16 score of the workers were compared with the healthy controls. Results: Sixteen male street sign painters and 16 healthy male as a controls were included in the study. All workers had daily exposure to solvent (exposure time: 7.9±6.8 years). Sleep apnea frequency in workers was slightly higher than in the controls but there was no statistically significant difference (respectively; 44% vs 31%, p=0.716). Apnea-hypopnea index of the workers with sleep apnea was slightly higher than the controls with sleep apnea, but there was no statistical significance (respectively; 25.7±21.03/hours vs 14.7±7.86/hours, p=0.169). In sleep apnea diagnosed workers who exposed to solvent, two of them had central sleep apnea (28.5%), three of them had obstructive sleep apnea, and two of them had rapid eye movement-related sleep apnea. Solvent exposure time of workers with sleep apnea was significantly higher than those with no sleep apnea (respectively; 12.9±7.0 vs 4.2±3.6 years p=0.008). The mean Questionnaire 16 score of the workers was higher than the controls (respectively; 4.5±3.24 vs 2.6±1.6, p=0.047). Questionnaire 16 score did not correlate with solvent exposure time and polysomnographic parameters. Conclusion: Most of the workers with daily solvent exposure had sleep apnea. Workers with sleep apnea had significantly higher solvent exposure time than the workers without sleep apnea. Therefore, workers who are exposed to solvent for many years should be questioned for sleep apnea.