Hessel P A, Herbert F A, Melenka L S, Yoshida K, Michaelchuk D, Nakaza M
Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Chest. 1995 Sep;108(3):642-6. doi: 10.1378/chest.108.3.642.
Workers exposed to a variety of wood dusts have been shown to exhibit occupational asthma, lung function deficits, and elevated levels of respiratory symptoms. Despite the popularity of pine and spruce, the health effects of exposures to these woods have not been extensively investigated. A study was undertaken to investigate the respiratory health of a group of sawmill workers processing pine and spruce (n = 94). Data collection included a respiratory symptom questionnaire, spirometry, and allergy skin testing. The sawmill workers were compared with a group of oil field workers from the same geographic area who underwent the same study protocol (n = 165). The results showed that the sawmill workers had significantly lower average values for FEV1 and FEV1/FVC (%), adjusted for age, height, and smoking. The largest differences were for current smokers. Significantly elevated age and smoking-adjusted odds ratios (OR) were detected for shortness of breath (2.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47 to 5.46) and wheeze with chest tightness (2.58; 95% CI, 1.18 to 5.62). Nonsignificant elevations were also seen for usual cough (1.47; 95% CI, 0.68 to 3.16), usual phlegm (1.94; 95% CI, 0.98 to 3.87), shortness of breath with exercise (1.45; 95% CI, 0.66 to 3.20), chest tightness (1.43; 95% CI, 0.80 to 2.57), and attacks of wheeze (1.70; 95% CI, 0.79 to 3.68). Sawmill workers were 2.5 times as likely as oil field workers to report current asthma (95% CI, 0.76 to 8.32). Workers employed more than 3 years showed significantly more asthma (OR = 3.67; 95% CI, 1.00 to 13.5) and bronchitis (OR = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.52). Sawmill workers were only 43% as likely to report a history of hay fever (95% CI, 0.20 to 0.94). These health effects were noted despite an average concentration of respirable dust of 1.35 mg/m3 (range, 0.1 to 2.2 mg/m3). These levels are below the present occupational standard.
接触各种木尘的工人已被证明会出现职业性哮喘、肺功能缺陷以及呼吸道症状水平升高的情况。尽管松树和云杉很常见，但接触这些木材对健康的影响尚未得到广泛研究。一项研究旨在调查一组加工松树和云杉的锯木厂工人（n = 94）的呼吸健康状况。数据收集包括呼吸道症状问卷、肺活量测定和过敏皮肤测试。将锯木厂工人与来自同一地理区域且接受相同研究方案的一组油田工人（n = 165）进行比较。结果显示，经年龄、身高和吸烟情况调整后，锯木厂工人的第一秒用力呼气容积（FEV1）和FEV1/用力肺活量（FVC）（%）的平均值显著更低。差异最大的是当前吸烟者。在呼吸急促（优势比[OR] = 2.83；95%置信区间[CI]，1.47至5.46）和伴有胸闷的喘息（OR = 2.58；95% CI，1.18至5.62）方面，经年龄和吸烟调整后的优势比显著升高。在经常咳嗽（OR = 1.47；95% CI，0.68至3.16）、经常咳痰（OR = 1.94；95% CI，0.98至3.87）、运动时呼吸急促（OR = 1.45；95% CI，0.66至3.20）、胸闷（OR = 1.43；95% CI，0.80至2.57）以及喘息发作（OR = 1.70；95% CI，0.79至3.68）方面也观察到非显著升高。锯木厂工人报告当前患有哮喘的可能性是油田工人的2.5倍（95% CI，0.76至8.32）。工作超过3年的工人出现哮喘（OR = 3.67；95% CI，1.00至13.5）和支气管炎（OR = 2.14；95% CI，1.02至4.52）的情况显著更多。锯木厂工人报告有花粉症病史的可能性仅为43%（95% CI，0.20至0.94）。尽管可吸入粉尘的平均浓度为1.35毫克/立方米（范围为0.1至2.2毫克/立方米），但仍观察到这些健康影响。这些水平低于当前的职业标准。
