High alveolar nitric oxide is associated with steeper lung function decline in foundry workers.

Occupational dust exposure induces inflammatory responses that often precede the onset of clinical disease. Inflammation in the peripheral part of the lung can be demonstrated by measuring the alveolar NO concentration (CNO) in exhaled breath. The aim of the study was to assess whether cumulative dust exposure affects the change in CNO during follow-up and whether baseline CNO can predict an impairment in lung function during follow-up in foundry workers. We examined 74 dust-exposed and 42 nonexposed foundry workers and measured CNO and lung function at baseline and after 7 years of follow-up. An increase in CNO during the follow-up period was positively associated with cumulative dust exposure in foundry work (= 0.035). Furthermore, a higher baseline CNO was associated with an accelerated decline in the forced vital capacity (FVC) during the follow-up period (absolute decrease in FVC= 0.021, relative decrease in FVC= 0.017). Higher cumulative dust exposure in foundry work is associated with a greater increase in CNO during follow-up, suggesting ongoing pulmonary inflammation in these subjects. Importantly, a high baseline CNO is associated with an accelerated decline in lung function, suggesting that CNO measurements might serve as a screening tool for high-risk workers.