Respiratory symptoms in firefighters.

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with respiratory symptoms in common firefighters in the Netherlands.

METHODS

A total of 1,330 firefighters from the municipal fire brigades of three provinces of the Netherlands were included in the study. All subjects were administered a Dutch web-based version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire.

RESULTS

General respiratory symptoms were associated with the number of fires fought in the last 12 months with odds ratios between 1.2 (95% CI 1.0-1.4) and 1.4 (95% CI 1.2-1.7) per 25 fires. A strong association was found between an inhalation incident and present respiratory symptoms with odds ratios between 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.7) and 3.0 (95% CI 1.9-4.7). Adjustments for smoking, sex, atopy, and age did not change any of the associations. After stratification, atopics showed elevated odds ratios.

CONCLUSIONS

It is recommended that firefighters are aware of these elevated healthcare risks associated with exposure to fire smoke and that they increase as much as possible the use of self-contained breathing apparatus.