title: Early effects of burning rice farm residues on respiratory symptoms of villagers in suburbs of Isfahan, Iran.
abstract: Villagers residing in areas with rice farms are exposed to smoke from burning of agricultural waste that may affect respiratory health. To assess respiratory effects of this smoke-induced air pollution, a cross-sectional study has been conducted in three randomly selected villages of Isfahan rural areas. A physician-administered health questionnaire was completed for 433 male and 561 female villagers aged 1-80 years, followed by physical examinations and spirometry in symptomatic cases, before and after a rice burning episode in October 2000. Total particulate and respirable particulate maters (PM 10 was doubled during burning episode. Prevalence rates for respiratory symptoms before smoke were: recent asthma attacks (7.7%), using asthma medications (3%), sleep disturbed by dyspnea and cough (7.4%), exercise-induced cough (13.3%), which increased to 9.5, 7.1, 9.3 and 17%, respectively. Mean initial values (as percent of prediction) for; FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEFR, and FEF25-75 were: 85.9 +/- 22.7, 81.7 +/- 8, 86.2 +/- 26.2 and 60 +/- 26.4, respectively. The mentioned values decreased to to 83.2 +/- 19.5, 76.5 +/- 10.3, 85.5 +/- 21.1 and 54.3 +/- 26.4, respectively. All of the clinical and spirometric changes were statistically significant. Study findings suggest increased respiratory morbidity associated with rice burning episodes among all people living in the area.
authors.affiliation: Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. golshan@medscape.com
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golshan
authors.forename: Mehri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faghihi
authors.forename: Tooraj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roushan-Zamir
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masood Marandi
authors.forename: Behnoosh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esteki
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dadvand
authors.forename: Hooshmand
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Farahmand-Far
authors.forename: Sharareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahmati
authors.forename: Firouzeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Islami
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000383:Agriculture; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017745:Incineration; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012275:Oryza; D015995:Prevalence; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*