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Respiratory Symptoms and Lung Function in Furriers
Author(s) -
Zuskin Eugenija,
Skuric Zdenka,
Kanceljak Bozica,
Pokrajac Duska,
Schachter E. Neil,
Witek Theodore J.
Publication year - 1988
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/ajim.4700140209
Subject(s) - medicine , vital capacity , respiratory system , asthma , sinusitis , pulmonary function testing , respiratory disease , lung function , lung volumes , respiratory rate , lung , anesthesia , surgery , diffusing capacity , heart rate , blood pressure
Forty women who had been occupationally exposed in the fur coat manufacturing industry were studied. The mean age was 30 years; mean duration of exposure was 14 years. A group of 31 females who did not work in the furrier industry also was included in the study as the control group. A higher prevalence of all chronic respiratory symptoms was found among furriers when compared with controls; these differences were statistically significant for nasal catarrh (p<0.05) and sinusitis (p<0.01). Among the furriers, the highest prevalence of respiratory symptoms was recorded for chronic cough in 20 workers (50.0%), followed by sinusitis in 12 (30.0%), dyspnea in 10 (25.0%), and nasal catarrh in 8 workers (20.0%). Among the furriers, two (5.0%) had symptoms characteristic of occupational asthma. Most of the symptomatic furriers complained of acute symptoms during their work shifts. Statistically significant mean reductions in lung function over the work shift were recorded in furriers for forced vital capacity (FVC), ‐4.1%; one‐second forced expiratory volume (FEV 1 ), ‐5.2%; and flow rate at 50% vital capacity (FEF50%), ‐6.3%. Furriers demonstrated significantly lower mean Monday preshift measurements for FVC and flow rate at 25% (FEF25%) (p<0.05) when compared with those predicted. Preshift administration (by spinhaler) of 40 mg disodium cromoglycate in three workers reduced the intensity of acute respiratory symptoms and diminished the reductions in ventilatory capacity over the work shift. Data from six additional male workers demonstrated similar findings for symptoms and lung function. Our data suggest that furriers are at risk of developing both acute and chronic respiratory symptoms as well as ventilatory capacity impairment as a result of occupational exposure.