Inhalational lung disease

Inhaiational lung diseases are among the most important occupational diseases. Pneumo-coniosis refers to a group of lung diseases result from inhalation of usually inorganic dusts such as silicon dioxide, asbestos, coal, etc., and their deposition in the lungs. The resultant pulmonary disorders depend on the susceptibility of lungs; size, concentration, solubility and fibrogenic properties of the inhaled particles; and duration of exposure. Radiographic manifestations of pneumoconiosis become apparent several years after exposure to the particles. However, for certain types of dusts, e.g., silicone dioxide crystal and beryllium, heavy exposure within a short period can cause an acute disease. Pulmonary involvement in asbestosis is usually in the lower lobes. On the contrary, in silicosis and coal worker pneumoconiosis, the upper lobes are involved predominantly. For imaging evaluation of pneumoconiosis, high-resolution computed tomography [CT] is superior to conventional chest x-ray. Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and positron emission tomography [PET] scan are helpful in those with suspected tumoral lesions. In this essay, we reviewed the imaging aspects of inhala-tional lung disease

effect of cotton dust on peak expiratory flow on cotton mill workers on comparison with the healthy controls in Multan

The prevalence of occupational diseases has increased progressively for the past two decades. Worldwide it has been estimated that 15% of adult onset asthma is caused by occupational exposure 35. WHO keeps on formulating and revising its guidelines regarding the prevention of occupational hazards but, because of poor implementation, especially in the third world countries including Pakistan, work-related ailments are becoming a challenge for the health sector. Pakistan is an agricultural country with cotton as it cash crop. A lot of manpower related with the cotton textile industry. Byssinosis is a disease related with the cotton dust and we lack the data at national level about the health of our cotton mill workers. It was therefore considered worthwhile to conduct the present study. To ascertain the effects of cotton dust on the peak expiratory flow of cotton mill workers in comparison with the healthy controls who never had exposure to the cotton dust. Subjects exposed and not exposed to cotton dust were analytically studied. The study was carried out at the out patient Department of Pulmonology department, Nishtar Hospital, Mullan. Six months from Oct 2006 till April 2007. A total of 200 male subjects [100 healthy controls and 100 cotton mill workers] who strictly met the inclusion criteria were selected from the OPD of pulmonology department. The peak expiratory flow rate [L/min] of cotton mill workers was significantly lower as compared to the control subjects [P<0.05] and this impairment was directly proportional to the duration of exposure to the cotton dust in the mill. The present study, concluded that the peak expiratory flow [L/min] was decreased in the cotton mill workers. This impairment is directly proportionate to the duration of exposure. The health status of the cotton mill workers was found unsatisfactory in the southern Punjab. It was therefore, strongly recommended that the mill, workers should be properly educated to adopt the-protective measures like masks, gloves, goggles etc, and also they should be kept under periodic medical surveillance

Byssinosis among male textile workers in Pondicherry: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: In India, 20 million workers are involved in the manufacturing of textiles. However, there are few epidemiological studies from India that have assessed the magnitude or the risk factors associated with byssinosis. In Pondicherry, textile mills have been in existence for over a century. This case-control study aimed to find the factors associated with the development of byssinosis in textile workers. METHODS: The sample consisted of 761 men above the age of 30 years who had worked for at least 10 years in a textile factory. All the respondents were interviewed by a pretested questionnaire to gather information regarding the symptoms of byssinosis, certain personal characteristics and occupational history. Byssinosis was identified using the classification proposed by the World Health Organization. Two age-matched controls were selected for each case. RESULTS: Univariate analysis of the factors for symptomatic byssinosis showed that dusty worksites, heavy smoking and duration of service > or = 30 years were significant. Logistic regression analysis showed that working in the spinning (odds ratio 6.1) and weaving sections (odds ratio 1.9), heavy smoking (odds ratio 3.9) and > or = 30 years of service (odds ratio 2.0) were independent significant risk factors. CONCLUSION: Efforts to reduce dust levels in the working environment and to discourage smoking among textile workers need to be strengthened to minimize the risk of developing byssinosis.

Bisinosis en una fabrica textil venezolana: alteraciones funcionales agudas / Byssinosis in venezuelan textile industry: acute functionals alteration

La Bisinosis es una enfermedad respiratoria que sufren los trabajadores textiles expuestos a la inhalación de polvos de algodon. Realizamos un estudio epidemiológico analítico de corte transversal en una fábrica textil venezolana que utiliza algodón en su proceso de trabajo. Estudiamos 30 trabajadores universitarios no expuestos a la inhalación de polvos textiles (grupo C) y 120 trabajadores textiles divididos en: 24 expuestos a elevado riesgo (Grupo A) y 96 a mediano riesgo (Grupo B). Se aplicó un cuestionario de síntomas y signos; de antecedentes ocupacionales y tabáquicos. Se midió la Capacidad Vital Forzada (CVF) y el Volumen Espiratorio Forzado en el primer segundo (FEV 1) con un espirómetro Vitalograph, los días lunes al inicio y al final de la jornada de trabajo. Estadística: X², Fisher "t" de Student para pares dependientes e independientes, Riesgo relativo (RR) para las prevalencias y mantel y Haenzel para el RR ajustado a los hábitos tabáquicos: Alteraciones agudas: la prevalencia de síntomas fue de 48.8 por ciento en el grupo A, 19.8 por ciento en el grupo B y 0 por ciento en el grupo C. Hubo "caída" del FEV1 durante la jornada de trabajo en el 40 por ciento de los trabajadores expuestos y en 13.3 por ciento de los no expuestos. No hubo diferencias significativas entre A y B. De los trabajadores que presentaron síntomas sólo el 50 por ciento tuvo "caída" del FEV1, pero 27.5 por ciento con "caída" no presentaron síntomas. Alteraciones crónicas: los trabajadores expuestos presentaron CVF, FEV1 y CVF/FEV1 por ciento inferiores a los del grupo control y deterioro de estos valores con el tiempo de exposición; incremento de los patrones obstructivo, restrictivo y mixto a predominio obstructivo, con el tiempo de exposición y RR de adquirir alteraciones obstructivas aumentó con el tiempo de exposición, independientemente de los hábitos tabáquicos. Hubo interacción de tipo aditivo entre el tabaquismo y el tiempo de exposición pero el tiempo de exposición es más importante

Some respiratory disorders in mattress - makers, an epidemiologic study

This study has been carried out in the year 1997 in Zagazig City on a random sample of 88 mattress-makers and a similar number of workers of the Faculty of Medicine, as a control group, to determine the prevalence of respiratory disorders and identify risk factors. The studied groups were interviewed using the M.R.C. [1960] questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Then, they were subjected to chest clinical examination and spirometry by the vitalograph. Dust concentration in the work places was estimated. Prevalence of respiratory disorders in mattress-makers and control group was 63.6% and 31.8. respectively [P < 0.05]. In mattress-makers: prevalence of ch. cough, ch. bronchitis, dyspnea, byssinosis and crackles was 25%. 21.6, 10.2%, 6.8% and 5.7%, respectively. corresponding to 12.5%, 9.1%1.1%, 0% and 0% in the control group [P < 0.05]. Most cases of byssiriosis were grade 1 and F1. Spirometry showed lower mean of FVC% of predicted and FEV[1] FVC% in mattress-makers than in the control group [P < 0.05]. Prevalence of smoking in mattress-makers was 42%. Prevalence of some respiratory disorders was related to duration of exposure. Other risk factors were smoking and dust concentration. Recommendations: Organization of health education program about hazards of exposure to dust, smoking and importance of proper ventilation and using masks

Byssinosis in a Bombay textile mill.

BACKGROUND. Till a national campaign against dust-related lung diseases was launched by a voluntary agency in Ahmedabad in 1992, government records for the 150-year-old textile industry showed no cases of byssinosis--the disabling occupational disease caused by cotton dust. The worldwide incidence of byssinosis among workers in the dusty sections of textile mills is nearly 40%. We assessed the prevalence of byssinosis in a Bombay mill so that the Employees State Insurance Scheme would start conducting medical checks in all the 55 textile mills in Bombay and officially recognize the disease. METHODS. The study was conducted under the auspices of the Occupational Health and Safety Centre, a voluntary organization. Textile workers were called to a camp conducted over 3 nights and 3 days. We asked them to answer a questionnaire and tested their lung function using a Wright's ventilometer. The diagnosis of byssinosis was made if there was a feeling of chest tightness on exposure to cotton dust, and if the FEV1 was less than 60% of the expected result or the FEV1/FVC was less than 75%. RESULTS. Of the total 1075 workers in the mill only 273 came to the camp; 54 (30%) of the 179 individuals working in the dusty sections of the mill had byssinosis. In the non-dusty departments, 16 (17%) out of the 94 workers were affected. Among those working for less than 10 years in textile mills, 24% had byssinosis and among those working for more than 30 years, 45% had the disease. CONCLUSION. We found a prevalence of byssinosis among textile workers which is similar to that reported worldwide. The disease affected those who worked in both the dusty and non-dusty sections of the mill. There are an estimated 40,000 affected workers in Bombay and we suggest that the disease be recognized by the Employees State Insurance Scheme, and that the textile mill workers be compensated if they are affected by byssinosis.

Bissinose e asma ocupacional em trabalhadores de uma fiaçäo de linho em Sorocaba - Säo Paulo / Byssinosis and occupational asthma in a flax spinning mill in Sorocaba - Säo Paulo

Sessenta e três trabalhadores de uma fiaçäo de linho, setor de preparaçäo, foram avaliados através de questionário de sintomas respiratórios e espirometria, realizada antes e após a jornada de trabalho. As prevalências de biossinose e asma ocupacional foram, respectivamente, de 30 e 11 por cento. Quatro pacientes, suspeitos de terem asma ocupacional, realizaram curva de pico de fluxo expiratório, que foi positiva. Dos expostos, 12,7 por cento tiveram reduçäo maior ou igual a 10 por cento de VEF1 com a jornada de trabalho. Houve associaçäo entre bissinose e tosse e expectoraçäo cronicas, dispnéia com chiado e asma ocupacional. Dois anos após, 41 trabalhadores, disponíveis para seguimento, foram reavaliados. O declínio anual do VEF1 foi, em média, de 30ml para o grupo todo e de 52ml para os bissinóticos; 56 por cento dos indivíduos tiveram declínio anual do VEF1 acima do esperado. Concluímos que a bissinose ainda é uma causa importante de morbidade respiratória quando a concentraçäo de poeira no ambiente de trabalho näo é controlada. os dados confirmam que a exposiçäo ocupacional à poeira de linho acelera a perda anual de funçäo pulmonar, podendo levar à incapacidade permanente

Multivariate analysis of byssinosis risk assessment.

Multiple logistic regression model was used considering byssinosis as an independent variable, and dustiness, smoking, exposure years and age as explanatory variables. Dustiness and length of exposure to the dust were found to be the most important contributory factors to byssinosis prevalence. The risk of byssinosis among workers in card room, blow room and waste plant sections and those who had exposure of more than 5 years was nearly three times than that among workers of other sections of the mill and/or with less than 5 years of exposure.

Byssinosis in carbon textile workers in Taegu, Korea / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

Respiratory disease resembling byssinosis in sisal rope-making worker / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

Byssinosis in cotton textile workers of Kishangarh.

Byssinosis is an occupational hazard for the workers exposed to cotton dust. In this study 616 cotton textile workers were studied; out of which 149 had byssinosis; 37 (24.7%) had grade-1/2, 78 (52.7%) grade-1, 25 (16.6%) grade-2 and 9 (6.0%) of grade-3 byssinosis. Majority of the byssinotics were of age group between 36-40 years and had developed disease after 16 years of exposure. Disease was more common among smokers and severe, in whom consumption was more than 15 cigarettes/bidis per day for more than 10 years. Ventilatory function tests were markedly abnormal compared with non-byssinotic. On clinical examination and laboratory investigation (specially eosinophilia) and, radiological investigation (x-ray chest) no positive finding was detected. The high prevalence rate of the disease in this study was apparently due to poor working conditions of the workers.

Alteraciones de la vía aérea de orígen ocupacional / Symptoms of the airways due to occupational origin

La vía aérea sufre con frecuencia los efectos deletéreos del ambiente laboral, que suelen ser subvalorados por el médico clínico, impidiendo un manejo adecuado del caso y desestimando el desarrollo de medidas preventivas para el resto de los trabajadores expuestos al riesgo. Se enfatiza la importantísima ayuda proporcionada por una anamnesis dirigida a establecer la relación entre medio laboral y daño de la vía aérea. Es importante el reconocimiento de asociaciones de agentes nocivos, que son capaces de producir alteraciones en concentraciones menores que las necesarias para cada uno de ellos por separado. La bronquitis crónica laboral aparece como una entidad diferente de la afección tabáquica y que muestra sólo una pequeña alteración funcional a nivel de la vía aérea mayor. Se analizan los variados efectos de la inhalación de polvo de algodón y la importancia de la hiperactividad de la vía aérea frente a estímulos inespecíficos y su asociación con la sensibilización respiratoria

A study of lung function abnormalities in workers of cotton spinning shops.

Lung function was studied by forced expiratory spirograms and measurement of peak expiratory flow in fourteen young male subjects of the age 20 to 30 years. Seven of the subjects were cotton spinners in small shops in Paharganj market with the duration of work from 1 to 3 years. The other seven subjects served as controls. All the subjects were of the same socio-economic status and were North Indians. Forced vital capacity; forced expiratory volume in 1 sec; forced expiratory volume in 1 sec expressed as a percentage of forced vital capacity; forced expiratory flow between 80 and 70 per cent, between 55 and 45 per cent, between 30 and 20 per cent and between 15 and 5 per cent of the forced vital capacity were determined from forced expiratory spirograms. Peak expiratory flow and FEB-80-70% were significantly lower in cotton spinners suggesting involvement of larger airways.