Viegi G, Paoletti P, Prediletto R, Carrozzi L, Fazzi P, Di Pede F, Pistelli G, Giuntini C, Lebowitz M D
CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, University of Pisa, Italy.
Eur Respir J. 1988 Apr;1(4):311-8.
Using a multistage stratified geographic cluster sample of households living in an unpolluted area of Northern Italy (near Venice), we enrolled 3289 inhabitants (aged 8-64 yr) for a longitudinal respiratory study. During the first cross-sectional survey, before the start of operation of a large oil-burning thermoelectric power plant, they completed a standardized administered questionnaire and performed several lung function tests. In the whole sample, dyspnoea grade 1 (11%), chronic cough and chronic phlegm (9%) were the most frequent respiratory symptoms; all the symptoms except dyspnoea were more prevalent in males than in females. Smokers (S) showed higher prevalence rates than ex-smokers (ES) and nonsmokers (NS), especially in males. In both sexes, the frequency of respiratory symptoms increased with increasing smoking as assessed by pack-years. An inverse relationship between prevalence of symptoms and socio-economic status was also observed. All tests of lung function were significantly impaired in S compared with NS in males; single-breath CO diffusing capacity and slope of alveolar plateau but not spirometric indices were significantly impaired in female S compared to female ES and NS. Finally, our prevalence rates were lower than in other epidemiological surveys: this result may be ascribed to the low levels of air pollution measured in the area.
我们采用多阶段分层地理聚类抽样方法，选取了居住在意大利北部（靠近威尼斯）未受污染地区的家庭，招募了3289名居民（年龄在8 - 64岁之间）进行一项纵向呼吸研究。在第一次横断面调查中，即在一家大型燃油热电厂运营开始之前，他们完成了一份标准化管理问卷，并进行了多项肺功能测试。在整个样本中，1级呼吸困难（11%）、慢性咳嗽和慢性咳痰（9%）是最常见的呼吸道症状；除呼吸困难外，所有症状在男性中的患病率均高于女性。吸烟者（S）的患病率高于既往吸烟者（ES）和非吸烟者（NS），尤其是在男性中。在两性中，根据吸烟包年数评估，呼吸道症状的频率随着吸烟量的增加而增加。还观察到症状患病率与社会经济地位之间呈负相关。在男性中，与NS相比，S的所有肺功能测试均显著受损；与女性ES和NS相比，女性S的单次呼吸一氧化碳弥散能力和肺泡平台斜率受损，但肺量计指标未受损。最后，我们的患病率低于其他流行病学调查结果：这一结果可能归因于该地区测得的低空气污染水平。
