Premium
Respiratory symptoms and lung function in wool textile workers
Author(s) -
Zuskin Eugenija,
Mustajbegovic Jadranka,
Schachter E. N.,
Kanceljak Bozica,
GodnicCvar Jasminka,
SitarSrebocan Vesna
Publication year - 1995
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.4700270608
Subject(s) - medicine , wool , vital capacity , pulmonary function testing , respiratory system , lung volumes , chronic bronchitis , lung function , spirometry , lung , asthma , diffusing capacity , archaeology , history
Our study investigated a group of 216 wool textile workers (158 women and 58 men). Respiratory symptoms were assessed by questionnaire in wool textile workers and in 130 not exposed (control) workers. Ventilatory capacity was measured in wool workers by recording maximum expiratory flow‐volume (MEFV) curves on Monday before and after the work shift. Forced vital capacity (FVC), 1‐second forced expiratory volume (FEV 1 ), and flow rates at 50% and the last 25% of the vital capacity (FEF 50 , FEF 25 ) were measured on the MEFV curves. Analysis of the data demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of all chronic respiratory symptoms in wool workers than in controls. being the highest in wool workers for nasal catarrh (M: 63.8%; F: 44.9%) and for sinusitis (M: 62.1%; F: 43.0%). A high prevalence of acute symptoms, associated with the work shift, was also noted in wool workers. Exposure to wool dust caused significant across‐shift reductions of ventilatory capacity varying from 1.4% for FEV, to 9.1% for FEF 50 . Textile workers exposed to wool for > 10 years in the workplace had similar across‐shift reductions of ventilatory capacity tests as those with shorter exposures. In a large number of these wool workers, FEF 50 and FEF 25 were below 70% of predicted normal values. Smokers had acute and chronic lung function changes similar to those of nonsmokers, indicating that smoking did not account for all the respiratory effects seen in wool processing workers. Our data suggest that dust exposures in wool textile mills may be associated with the development of chronic respiratory symptoms and impaired lung function.