American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 136, No. 10: 1269-1279
Copyright © 1992 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
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Five Cross-sectional Studies of Grain Elevator Workers
1Department of Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, Respiratory Health, Network of Excellence Vancouver British Columbia, Canada
2International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Paris, France
Five cross-sectional studies were conducted on grain workers in all the terminal elevators in British Columbia, Canada, at 3-year intervals from 1976 to 1988. Civic workers were studied in the same manner as a referent group. The studies consisted of questionnaires, spirometry using the same spirometers, allergy skin tests, and measurement of dust concentration by personal sampling. Although the dust concentration in the elevators was reduced progressively over the years, grain workers had more respiratory symptoms and lower lung function compared with civic workers in each of the five cross-sectional studies. Exposure to grain dust was associated with significant reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) but not in maximal midexpiratory flow rate or FEV1/FVC, suggesting reduction in volume which may be due to lesions in the lung parenchyma or in the small airways. Cigarette smoking was associated with significant reduction in FEV1, maximal midexpiratory flow rate, and FEV1/FVC due to airflow obstruction, but had no influence on FVC. Workers who took part in all five surveys tended to be a "healthier" selected group, but the grain workers still had lower lung function compared with the civic workers. This study confirmed previous findings that grain dust has adverse effects on the lungs. Cross-sectional study of the grain elevator workers proved to be a consistent and useful method to evaluate occupational health hazards. Am J Epidemiol 1992; 136: 1269–79
cross-sectional studies; dust; occupational exposure; respiratory function tests
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