Effects of long term exposure to occupational noise on textile industry workers' lung function.
Vibroacoustic disease is a pathology caused by long occupational exposure to large pressure amplitude and low frequency noise. It is a systemic disease, with evolvement of respiratory structures. The exposure workers to this noise of textile industry may favour alterations in lung function. We studied 28 women working more than ten years in cotton-mill rooms to evaluate their lung function, including Spirometry, forced oscillation technique (I.O.S.) and Diffusion capacity. These results were compared with those of 30 women of similar ages not exposed to similar noise and not presenting respiratory disease. Statistical significance (P<0.05) was found with FEV25, R5 and Delta Rs5-Rs20. There was a resistance frequency dependence in 36% of the population exposed to noise, not statistically confirmed. Neither restriction nor changes in diffusing capacity where detected.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of global alterations of lung function parameters suggests small airways aggression by noise. However we cannot definitively exclude the influence of cotton dust inhalation in itself which effects could be increased by the loss of ciliated cells and impairment of airways clearance caused by noise.
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto.
António Paes
AP
Cardoso
Maria João R
MJ
Oliveira
Alvaro Moreira da
AM
Silva
Artur P
AP
Aguas
António Sousa
AS
Pereira
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013783:Textile Industry; D013997:Time Factors