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Longitudinal study of respiratory findings in rubber workers
Author(s) -
Zuskin Eugenija,
Mustajbegovic Jadranka,
Schachter E. Neil,
DokoJelinic Jagoda,
Budak Antun
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199608)30:2<171::aid-ajim8>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - medicine , respiratory system , environmental health , natural rubber , occupational medicine , occupational exposure , intensive care medicine , emergency medicine , composite material , materials science
A cross‐sectional assessment of respiratory function and symptoms was performed in 1985 on 409 male rubber workers and 172 unexposed control workers. A follow‐up study in 311 of the original rubber workers was performed 6 years later. Ventilatory capacity was measured by recording maximum expiratory flow‐volume (MEFV) curves. At the time of the initial study, significantly higher prevalences of all chronic respiratory symptoms, except for asthma, were found among the rubber workers compared to controls. Smokers had a significantly higher prevalence of most of the chronic respiratory symptoms compared with nonsmokers. A high prevalence of acute symptoms during the workshift was recorded among the rubber workers at both surveys. Rubber workers demonstrated significantly lower ventilatory capacity measurements compared to predicted. Ventilatory capacity measurements diminished significantly across the workshift, particularly FEF50 and FEF25. Metaproterenol inhaled at the end of the workshift significantly improved lung function in a small group of sensitive rubber workers. Annual lung function loss among both smokers and nonsmokers was in excess of predicted. Our data suggest that exposure to noxious agents in the rubber industry are associated with the development of acute and chronic respiratory impairment. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.