Ventilatory functions changes and respiratory symptoms among bakeries workers in greater cairo

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 200 bakeries workers [bakers doughers, dough cutters and bread handlers] and 50 workers not exposed to flour dusts or any respiratory irritants as a control group. Special quesionnaire was filled for each worker including age, type and duration of work, smoking habit, respiratory symptoms, clinical examination together with pulmonary functions forced vital capacity [FVC] and forced expiratory in the 1st second FEV[1]. Bakeries workers showed marked impairment of ventilatory functions [FVC and FEV[1]]. The most common symptoms among bakeries workers were cough, expectoration and chest pain. The most effective factors for these changes were duration of work, age and type of work