 | Substances chimiques et effet sur l’audition - Revue de la littérature(Chemical substances and effect on hearing - Literature review)Vyskocil, Adolf; Leroux, Tony; Truchon, Ginette; Lemay, François; Gendron, Martine; Lim, Sophie; Gagnon, France; El Majidi, Naïma; Botez, Simona; Emond, Claude; Viau, ClaudeÉtudes et recherches / Rapport
R-604, Montréal, IRSST, 2009, 71 pages. |
Abstract
In the context of a systematic literature analysis on chemical substances and their effects on hearing, the authors evaluated the rigour of the methodologies used for measuring these effects and examined the consistency and differences that existed between studies on a given substance. They then developed a “decision grid” for making a judgment on the strength of proof of a causal relationship between exposure to the substances studied and the impact on hearing. The studied substances were classified according to four types of conclusions: the substance is ototoxic; it is possibly ototoxic; its ototoxicity has not been conclusively proven; there is no proof of ototoxicity. According to this method, ototoxic substances are: lead, styrene, toluene and trichloroethylene. Substances that are possibly ototoxic are: ethylbenzene, n-hexane and xylene.
The authors conclude that follow-up on the auditory system of workers exposed to substances belonging to the first two categories is relevant. They also believe that the possible interaction between exposure to these substances and noise is a factor to be considered in the development of prevention and worker follow-up programs.
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