Meta-analysis of standard mortality ratio in cotton textile workers.
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary function tests may reveal obstructive lung disease with altered forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) in cotton textile workers. Since 1930, many cohort studies have been performed to assess the disease mortality rate in cotton textile workers.


METHODS
The authors performed a meta-analysis of the SMR results of these studies.


RESULTS
From the meta-analysis, the SMRs were as follows: for all deaths, 0.792 in males and 0.873 in females; for cancers, 0.705 in males and 0.829 in females.


CONCLUSIONS
The male cotton textile workers were healthier than the general population. The healthy-worker effect may be one of the causes, in general workers in industry have a better mortality patterns than those not working.
Su
Wen-Lin
WL
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Chen
Yeong-Hwang
YH
Liou
Saou-Hsing
SH
Wu
Chin-Pyng
CP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D003368:Gossypium; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013783:Textile Industry; D013784:Textiles / Q000009:adverse effects*