[Prevalence and risk factors of respiratory symptoms in farmers; comment].
BACKGROUND
A cross-sectional study was performed to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in farmers and to assess occupational risk factors for respiratory symptoms in this population.


METHODS
A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and occupation was mailed to a sample of 1,191 farmers with descriptive analysis of the symptoms and multivariate analysis through logistic modeling to assess the different risk factors.


RESULTS
1,164 workers answered the questionnaire (response index 98.2%) and 808 subjects were finally included in the study after discarding non exposed workers. The highest prevalences of asthma symptoms (39.2%) and symptoms of nasal allergy (31.6%) were found in poultry workers (p < 0.001, chi square). Sheep workers showed the highest prevalences of chronic phlegm (38.5%), work-related symptoms (53.9%) and symptoms of organic dust toxic syndrome (35.9%) (p < 0.005, chi square). At multivariate analysis, adjusting for age, gender, smoking and other occupational exposures, poultry work was a risk factor for asthma symptoms (OR 2.1; IC 95% 1.2-3.8) and symptoms of nasal allergy (OR 2.3, IC 95% 1.3-4.2), and dairy farming a risk factor for chronic phlegm (OR 1.8, IC 95% 1.1-2.9). Agriculture was not associated with respiratory symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study risk factors for respiratory symptoms in Spanish farmers were poultry and dairy farming.
Magarolas
R
R
Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital Mare de Déu de la Salut, Tarragona. ramagaro@comt.es
Monsó
E
E
Aguilar
X
X
Radon
K
K
Nowak
D
D
Martínez
C
C
Morera
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D005203:Farmer's Lung / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects; D011200:Poultry; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome
D009930:Organic Chemicals