Institute of Public Health, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
Family and Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, 31952, Saudi Arabia.
F1000Res. 2021 Sep 17;10:938. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.52749.1. eCollection 2021.
Occupational contact with dust particles is a well-known phenomenon, particularly in developing countries of the world. Crystalline silica present in marble dust is the main etiology of a rising prevalence of obstructive lung diseases in marble stone workers, who are in direct contact with marble dust in the surrounding environment during their regular work. The purpose of this study was to compare the pulmonary function parameters of workers in marble workshops and age matched healthy individuals in the Lahore District of Pakistan. The study included 164 male individuals, 82 individuals working in marble workshops and 82 healthy individuals from the same community. Data were collected through in-person interviews using a structured questionnaire after obtaining written consent. A Spiro Lab spirometry for pulmonary function tests was used to identify any change in the lung function parameters. FVC% (forced vital capacity), FEV 1 (forced expiratory volume in first second) and FEV1 / FVC ratio were evaluated. Mean age in the exposed group (marble workers) and non-exposed group (healthy individuals) were 29.92 ± 6.19 and 30.58 ± 6.37 years, respectively. The mean years of work experience of the exposed group was 11.92 ± 5.67 years. A statistically insignificant difference was observed between marble exposed workers & healthy individuals from the demographic variables. Lung function parameters in marble workers exhibited a highly significant (P < 0.001) decrease in FVC%, FEV & FEV / FVC ratio when compared to healthy individuals. Seventy-one percent of marble workers had abnormal pulmonary parameters whereas 34% of workers had restrictive pulmonary impairment. Marble workers who had worked for more than 15 years had a highly significant risk of developing abnormal pulmonary function (P < 0.001). Continuous exposure to marble dust deteriorates the lung function of marble workers.
职业性接触粉尘颗粒是一种众所周知的现象，尤其是在世界上的发展中国家。大理石粉尘中存在的结晶二氧化硅是导致大理石石材工人中阻塞性肺部疾病患病率上升的主要病因，这些工人在日常工作中会直接接触周围环境中的大理石粉尘。本研究旨在比较巴基斯坦拉合尔地区大理石车间工人和年龄匹配的健康个体的肺功能参数。该研究纳入了 164 名男性个体，82 名在大理石车间工作的个体和 82 名来自同一社区的健康个体。通过个人访谈使用结构化问卷收集数据，在获得书面同意后进行。使用 Spiro Lab 肺功能测试进行肺活量计以确定肺功能参数是否发生变化。评估 FVC%（用力肺活量）、FEV1（第一秒用力呼气量）和 FEV1/FVC 比值。暴露组（大理石工人）和非暴露组（健康个体）的平均年龄分别为 29.92±6.19 岁和 30.58±6.37 岁。暴露组的平均工龄为 11.92±5.67 年。大理石暴露工人与健康个体在人口统计学变量方面无统计学显著差异。与健康个体相比，大理石工人的肺功能参数显示 FVC%、FEV1 和 FEV1/FVC 比值显著下降（P<0.001）。71%的大理石工人出现肺功能参数异常，34%的工人存在限制性肺损伤。工作超过 15 年的大理石工人发生异常肺功能的风险显著增加（P<0.001）。持续接触大理石粉尘会使大理石工人的肺功能恶化。
