Lung function changes in teenage carpet weavers.
Lung function was measured with a Microlab 3500 Spirometer in 17 teenage carpet weavers, their 17 non weaving sisters and 13 age/sex matched controls in a carpet making community in Gwalior in late 2001. All subjects were asymptomatic. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and mid-expiratory flow rate (MEF) were expressed as percentages of expected values for the subjects age and height using prediction equations for healthy North-Indian girls (FVC% FEV1% and MEF%). There was no significant difference in FVC% FEV1% or FEV1/FVC ratio between the 3 groups but weavers had a significantly lower mean MEF% than their sisters (p< 0.01 by paired "t" test) and the age-matched control group (p< 0.002 by "t" test). The reduction in MEF% was correlated with duration of employment (Spearmans correlation = 0.5 with p < 0.05).
Green
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Department of Pediatrics, West Middlesex University Hospital, Twickenham Road, Middlesex, U.K. davidanthonygreen@hotmail.com
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors