Yach D, Myers J, Bradshaw D, Benatar S R
Am Rev Respir Dis. 1985 Apr;131(4):505-10. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1985.131.4.505.
Exposure to grain dust may induce acute and chronic respiratory, nasal, and ocular symptoms. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms, atopic status, and lung function changes, as measured by pulmonary function tests (PFT) over the week in 582 grain mill workers and 153 control subjects not exposed to grain dust were studied in Cape Town. Atopic status, smoking habits, and baseline PFT did not differ significantly between grain workers and control subjects. Grain workers showed significant deterioration in lung function values over the week, with forced expiratory volume in one second declining on average by 4.8% compared with an increase of 3.3% in control subjects (p less than 0.001). Forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the forced vital capacity declined by 14.8% in grain workers and by 0.8% in control subjects (p less than 0.0001). Grain workers had significantly higher prevalences than did control subjects of regular cough (46 versus 30%), expectoration (35 versus 17%), wheeze (25 versus 11%), and watery eyes (25 versus 10%) (p less than 0.01 for all). These symptoms were not related to the duration of employment. A dose-response relationship, independent of smoking habits, was demonstrated between reported dust exposure and symptoms as well as between dust exposure and PFT. These results have important implications for the grain mill industry in South Africa where there is insufficient legislation and worker compensation.
接触谷物粉尘可能引发急性和慢性呼吸道、鼻腔及眼部症状。在开普敦，对582名谷物加工厂工人和153名未接触谷物粉尘的对照受试者进行了研究，通过肺功能测试（PFT）测量他们在一周内的呼吸道症状患病率、特应性状态及肺功能变化。谷物加工工人和对照受试者在特应性状态、吸烟习惯及基线肺功能测试方面无显著差异。谷物加工工人在一周内肺功能值显著恶化，一秒用力呼气量平均下降4.8%，而对照受试者增加3.3%（p小于0.001）。在用力肺活量中间一半时段的用力呼气流量，谷物加工工人下降了14.8%，对照受试者下降了0.8%（p小于0.0001）。谷物加工工人经常咳嗽（46%对30%）、咳痰（35%对17%）、喘息（25%对11%）和眼睛流泪（25%对10%）的患病率显著高于对照受试者（所有p均小于0.01）。这些症状与工作时长无关。报告的粉尘接触与症状以及粉尘接触与肺功能测试之间呈现出与吸烟习惯无关的剂量反应关系。这些结果对南非谷物加工行业具有重要意义，因为该国相关立法和工人赔偿不足。
