title: Pulmonary function status of shopkeepers of Ahmedabad exposed to autoexhaust pollutants.
abstract: The study deals with evaluation of pulmonary function status (VC, FEV1% and FEF25-75%) in Ahmedabad shopkeepers stationed near different traffic junctions and relating them with the levels of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) near these junctions categorised as Heavy, Medium and Low polluted area junctions. The pulmonary function test (PFT) values of heavy polluted and medium polluted area shopkeepers is compared with low polluted area shopkeepers. The influence of smoking habits and duration of exposure over PFT values was seen. The prevalence of airway obstruction in shopkeepers was compared with USA population. The results indicated significant impairment in FEV1% and FEF25-75% value in high polluted area shopkeepers where NOx level is much higher than TLV value. In medium polluted area, where NOx level is slightly higher than TLV value, shopkeepers demonstrated significant impairment in FEF25-75%. Smoking is found to have an additive effect. A linear increase in the prevalence of pulmonary impairment with increasing duration of exposure was evidenced. Shopkeepers exhibited higher prevalence of impairment in both smokers and non-smokers than USA population attributing it to the effect of autoexhaust pollutants. This study also denoted that FEF25-75% is an early indicator of obstruction in smaller airways which is the primary site of deposition of inhaled pollutants.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health (I.C.M.R.), Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Raiyani
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kashyap
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D008448:Maximal Expiratory Flow Rate; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000009:adverse effects; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D001335:Vehicle Emissions