Across-shift lung function variation in cottonseed oil workers.
BACKGROUND
The effects of cotton dust on pulmonary function among workers employed in cotton-spinning mills are well known. However, little data exist on the prevalence of this disorder in 'non-textile' cotton industries, including cottonseed oil mills, where high levels of exposure to dust have been demonstrated.


OBJECTIVE
This study was performed in order to determine the across-shift and across-week decline of FEV(1) and respiratory symptoms among workers in a cottonseed oil mill.


METHODS
Sixty-six exposed and 48 unexposed workers of a cottonseed oil mill in Turkey were investigated by questionnaire and lung function test (LFT). LFTs were performed before and after shift on all the working days of the week. Acute airway response was defined as an across-shift decline in FEV(1) of 5% or more on the first working day.


RESULTS
Smoking was the only risk factor for having respiratory symptoms. Acute airway response was more frequently observed in the exposed group as compared to the unexposed group (OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 2.3-16.7). The median across-shift decline in FEV(1) on the first day (120 ml) significantly improved on the following days (10, 50, 60 and -30 ml).


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking appears to be the main risk factor for having respiratory symptoms. Cottonseed dust may cause an acute pulmonary function decline on the first working day, but not on the following days of the week. This decline is associated with respiratory symptoms in exposed workers.
Bakirci
Nadi
N
Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Marmara University, 34668 Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Turkey. nbakirci@marmara.edu.tr
Sayiner
Abdullah
A
Sacaklioglu
Feride
F
Bayindir
Ulku
U
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D003369:Cottonseed Oil / Q000633:toxicity*; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014421:Turkey
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003369:Cottonseed Oil; D004391:Dust