Demeke Dessalegn, Haile Diresibachew W
Bahir Dar University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Addis Ababa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Physiology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Pulm Med. 2018 Oct 24;2018:9521297. doi: 10.1155/2018/9521297. eCollection 2018.
Flour dust in the respiratory tract affects lung function. Flour dust is a heterogeneous organic substance which can have a tendency to cause respiratory ailments. There is growing consensus on the deleterious effects of flour dust on respiratory symptoms and lung performance of flour mill workers.
The study design was comparative cross-sectional. A total of 54 flour mill workers who work for more than eight-hour shift per day and 54 control subjects matched for sex, age, weight, height, and area of residence were enrolled. Anthropometric measurement was done. Lung function was measured by using a digital portable spirometer (Spiro Pro) based on the ATS guidelines. FVC, FEV, FEV/FVC, PEFR, and FEF% % were measured. Productive cough, dry cough, wheeze, and breathlessness were evaluated using BMRC questionnaire guidelines, administered through face-to-face interview.
This study showed statistically significant reduction in the mean values of pulmonary function tests in flour mill workers as compared to their matched controls. Reduction of pulmonary function indices in study subjects was significant for FVC (4.25±0.93 vs. 5.30±0.71, p<0.001), FEV (3.46±0.86 vs. 4.50±0.72, p<0.001), PEFR (5.43±2.43 vs. 7.87±2.53, p<0.001), and FEF% %, (3.87±1.61 vs. 4.60±1.60, p<0.05), but not significant for FEV/FVC (81.93±12.74 vs. 83.40±12.50, p>0.05). Flour mill workers developed 27.7% of restrictive type and 11.1% of obstructive type of lung disorders. Percentage prevalence of respiratory symptoms was evaluated as dry cough (27.7% vs. 9.3%), productive cough (11.1% vs. 5.6%), wheeze (14.8% vs. 3.8%), and breathlessness (16.6% vs.7.4%) in flour mill workers and controls, respectively.
Based on the results of the present study, occupational exposure to flour dust could cause respiratory dysfunction, thereby reducing lung efficiency.
呼吸道中的面粉灰尘会影响肺功能。面粉灰尘是一种异质有机物质，有引发呼吸道疾病的倾向。关于面粉灰尘对面粉厂工人呼吸道症状和肺功能的有害影响，人们的共识日益增加。
本研究设计为比较性横断面研究。共招募了54名每天工作超过8小时的面粉厂工人以及54名在性别、年龄、体重、身高和居住地区方面相匹配的对照对象。进行了人体测量。根据美国胸科学会（ATS）指南，使用数字便携式肺活量计（Spiro Pro）测量肺功能。测量了用力肺活量（FVC）、一秒用力呼气容积（FEV）、FEV/FVC、呼气峰值流速（PEFR）和用力呼气流量（FEF）%。使用英国医学研究委员会（BMRC）问卷指南，通过面对面访谈评估了咳痰、干咳、喘息和呼吸急促情况。
本研究显示，与相匹配的对照对象相比，面粉厂工人的肺功能测试平均值在统计学上有显著降低。研究对象的肺功能指标降低情况在FVC（4.25±0.93 vs. 5.30±0.71，p<0.001）、FEV（3.46±0.86 vs. 4.50±0.72，p<0.001）、PEFR（5.43±2.43 vs. 7.87±2.53，p<0.001）和FEF%（3.87±1.61 vs. 4.60±1.60，p<0.05）方面显著，但在FEV/FVC（81.93±12.74 vs. 83.40±12.50，p>0.05）方面不显著。面粉厂工人出现了27.7%的限制性肺疾病类型和11.1%的阻塞性肺疾病类型。面粉厂工人和对照对象的呼吸道症状患病率分别评估为干咳（27.7% vs. 9.3%）、咳痰（11.1% vs. 5.6%）、喘息（14.8% vs. 3.8%）和呼吸急促（16.6% vs. 7.4%）。
基于本研究结果，职业性接触面粉灰尘可能导致呼吸功能障碍，从而降低肺效率。
