Capillary abnormalities in polyvinyl chloride production workers. Examination by in vivo microscopy

Abstract

Examination by wide-field capillary microscopy of the hands of 152 workers in vinyl chloride (VC) polymerization plants demonstrated scattered, scleroderma-like microvascular abnormalities in 21 workers and isolated capillary abnormalities in 27, as compared with only 3 isolated abnormalities in 50 manual workers not exposed to vinyl chloride. Thirteen of 17 VC workers with objective evidence of VC-associated abnormalities (angiosarcoma or fibrosis of liver, acroosteolysis or scleroderma-like skin lesions) had microvascular abnormalities. If prospective studies confirm the implications of this study, capillary microscopy may become a useful mass-screening procedure in the early detection and prevention of VC-associated disease.