title: Cotton dust and across-shift change in FEV1 as predictors of annual change in FEV1.
abstract: In this report of a 5-yr longitudinal study of workers employed at six cotton textile mills, exposure and across-shift FEV1 change were evaluated as possible predictors of the annual change in FEV1 for yarn manufacturing workers. A total of 611 workers had three repeatable spirometric tests, over at least 3 yr, and at least one (average of three) across-shift test, while always working the same shift. The "same shift" criterion controlled for the effect of diurnal variation. Average exposure was determined from measures of lint-free elutriated cotton dust in combination with job histories. This study found a significant association between the acute and chronic effects of cotton dust exposure. Both exposure and across-shift change proved to be significant predictors of annual change, and excess annual declines in FEV1 were predicted even for exposures of 200 micrograms/m3 and across-shift drops in FEV1 of 200 ml. These results suggest that, to prevent dust-related chronic decline in lung function, current smokers should be excluded from yarn manufacturing work and exposures should be reduced below 200 micrograms/m3, to approximately 100 micrograms/m3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70112-2699.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Glindmeyer
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lefante
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rando
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weill
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002095:Byssinosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D003368:Gossypium; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009790:Occupations; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013784:Textiles; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
chemical_list: D004391:Dust