Toxic Hepatitis from Dimethylacetamide

Two cases of toxic hepatitis from dimethylacetamide (DMAC) occurred among 25 employees on a new acrylic-fiber production line at a western U.S. manufacturing plant. Interesting features of these cases include: 1) inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for dermal exposures, resulting in skin penetration during maintenance and repair procedures; 2) the subjects of these case reports are female; all workers at the manufacturer's European plant were male, and DMAC-related liver dysfunction had not been encountered at that site; 3) the new American production line required more frequent maintenance and repair work than existing production lines at the European parent company, resulting in greater opportunities for DMAC exposure. Hepatotoxicity due to dermal absorption of DMAC and other amide-type solvents deserves special consideration in industrial settings.