Respiratory symptoms and alterations in pulmonary function tests in swine producers in Saskatchewan: results of a survey of farmers.
To determine whether farmers who produced swine in animal confinement chambers in Saskatchewan were at increased risk of developing respiratory dysfunction, we carried out a respiratory health questionnaire and spirometric pulmonary function test measurements, including forced expired volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and the ratio of FEV1 to FVC (FEV1/FVC x 100), on 504 farmers who indicated that they raised swine, and 448 rural-dwelling nonfarming control subjects. Swine producers had lower values for FVC and FEV1 than did the control subjects. However, FEV1/FVC x 100 was somewhat higher in the swine producers. The reduction in FEV1 with retained FEV1/FVC ratio is suggestive of restrictive disease. However, the fact that the FEV1/FVC ratio is only modestly higher in swine producers than in control subjects suggests that there may be a mixed restrictive/obstructive condition in these workers.
Dosman
J A
JA
Centre for Agricultural Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Graham
B L
BL
Hall
D
D
Pahwa
P
P
McDuffie
H H
HH
Lucewicz
M
M
To
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012525:Saskatchewan; D013552:Swine