Awad el Karim M A, Gad el Rab M O, Omer A A, el Haimi Y A
Arch Environ Health. 1986 Sep-Oct;41(5):297-301. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1986.9936700.
Symptoms suggestive of chronic bronchitis or chronic productive cough were found in 29.0% of 100 workers exposed to flour dust in a flour mill, 26.0% presenting with chronic cough and 29.0% with phlegm. In the control group, the prevalence of chronic cough and phlegm was only 6.6% in each category. While 22.0% of the workers complained of chest tightness on exposure, and 18.0% developed symptoms and signs of bronchial asthma, only 3.3% of the controls complained of chest tightness and 3.3% of asthma. Respiratory measurements before and after the working shift showed a significant drop (p less than .001) in the forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1.0) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in the exposed group. Fifty-eight percent of the exposed workers experienced a drop in FEV1.0 and FVC measurements. A positive skin reaction to wheat flour extract was recorded among 31% of the exposed workers vs. 10% of the controls. The prevalence of other associated allergic symptoms was 17.0% and 19.0% for sinusitis and conjunctivitis, respectively; in the unexposed group, the prevalence of the same symptoms ranged between 3.3% and 6.6%. A strong association was revealed between exposure to grain and flour dusts and the prevalence of respiratory and allergic disorders.
在一家面粉厂接触面粉粉尘的100名工人中，29.0%有提示慢性支气管炎或慢性咳痰性咳嗽的症状，26.0%有慢性咳嗽，29.0%有咳痰。在对照组中，慢性咳嗽和咳痰的患病率在各分类中仅为6.6%。虽然22.0%的工人在接触时抱怨胸部发紧，18.0%出现支气管哮喘的症状和体征，但对照组中只有3.3%抱怨胸部发紧，3.3%有哮喘症状。轮班前和轮班后的呼吸测量显示，暴露组的1秒用力呼气量（FEV1.0）和用力肺活量（FVC）显著下降（p小于0.001）。58%的暴露工人的FEV1.0和FVC测量值下降。31%的暴露工人对小麦粉提取物的皮肤反应呈阳性，而对照组为10%。鼻窦炎和结膜炎等其他相关过敏症状的患病率分别为17.0%和19.0%；在未暴露组中，相同症状的患病率在3.3%至6.6%之间。暴露于谷物和面粉粉尘与呼吸道及过敏性疾病的患病率之间存在强烈关联。
