ABSTRACT
Background And Objectives: Due to increase in industrialization, air pollution is increasing day by day. The workers working in these industries suffer from various types of air way diseases like Pneumoconiosis, Farmer’s Lung, Chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis and Asthma. So the present study was undertaken to study the effects of flour dust on the lung functions. Methods: Pulmonary function tests (PFT’s) of flour mill workers were compared with those of controls. We evaluated 100 subjects in the age group of 20-50 years consisting of 50 industrial workers from flour mills from the Amritsar Distt., and 50 healthy non-smoker, non-exposed subjects in the same age group served as controls. The PFT’s were carried out with a computerized spirometer “Med-Spiror”. The various data was collected, compiled, statistically analyzed and valid conclusions were drawn. Results And Interpretation: The present study results showed a significant decrease in the mean values of FVC, FEV1, PEFR, FEF25-75 and MVV and stratification of results showed a dose response of years of exposure in flour mills on lung functions. Conclusion: Flour dust causes chronic bronchial irritation which is responsible for the obstructive type of pulmonary impairment of lung functions.