吸入性损伤可发生在工作场所事故和住宅火灾期间,以后者更常见。英国一调查称吸入性损伤在工作场所的年发生率约为每 100,000 人 3.6 例。[4]McDonald JC, Chen Y, Zekveld C, et al. Incidence by occupation and industry of acute work related respiratory diseases in the UK, 1992-2001. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62:836-842.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1740944/pdf/v062p00836.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16299091?tool=bestpractice.com2007 年,美国私人企业中发生了 64 例致命性吸入性损伤和 5660 例非致命性吸入损伤,其中大多数都源自化学暴露。[5]US Department of Labor. Census of fatal occupational injuries: table A-9. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure for all fatalities and major private industry sectors, All United States, 2007. Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics; 2007.http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cftb0231.pdf[6]US Department of Labor. Table R33. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by event or exposure leading to injury or
illness and selected sources of injury or illness, 2007. Survey of occupational injuries and illnesses in cooperation with participating State agencies. Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics; 2007.http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1975.pdf 据估计,消防员和警察等公务员发生非致命吸入性损伤的风险要高很多,这在很大程度上是因为他们是火灾的第一反应者。[7]Henneberger PK, Metayer C, Layne LA, et al. Nonfatal work-related inhalations: surveillance data from hospital emergency departments, 1995-1996. Am J Ind Med. 2000;38:140-148.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10893507?tool=bestpractice.com吸入性损伤多发生在以年轻人和男性员工为主体的工作场所,受伤的人口学数据可表明这一点。
在美国,火灾造成的居民受伤率为 60.9/百万,死亡率为 13.3/百万。[8]US Fire Administration. Fire in the United States 1995-2004. 14th ed. Washington, DC: National Fire Data Center; 2007.http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-311.pdf多数死亡为呼吸系统损伤致死,而呼吸系统损伤是烧伤患者死亡的强预测因素。[9]Colohan SM. Predicting prognosis in thermal burns with associated inhalational injury: a systematic review of prognostic factors in adult burn victims. J Burn Care Res. 2010;31:529-539.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20523229?tool=bestpractice.com美国数年来,每年一直约有 4000 人因火灾致死,与 1980 年前后(每年约 12,000 人因火灾致死)相比,已取得显著改善。