title: Change in airway responsiveness over a workweek in organic waste loaders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Organic waste workers are exposed to high endotoxin levels that may result in respiratory health effects. This study describes changes in lung function and methacholine airway responsiveness over a workweek in household organic waste loaders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of lung function and methacholine airway responsiveness before and after a workweek in six organic waste loaders with and ten loaders without regular respiratory symptoms. Methacholine responsiveness was expressed as dose-response slope, i.e. % fall in FEV(1) per mg methacholine compared to either the post-saline value (DRS(sal)), or the highest FEV(1) (DRS(max)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monday morning, FEV(1) was similar in cases and controls. Over the workweek, FEV(1) and MMEF decreased slightly in both cases and controls (P > 0.10). In contrast, DRS increased in cases and decreased in control subjects (P < 0.10). The difference in % change of DRS was statistically significant after adjustment for smoking and age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest exaggeration of pre-existent airway inflammation during the workweek in organic waste loaders with regular respiratory symptoms. This needs confirmation in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Environmental and Occupational Health, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. G.de.Meer@med.UMCG.nl
authors.forename: Gea
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Meer
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heederik
authors.forename: Inge M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Wouters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012722:Sewage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012722:Sewage; D016210:Methacholine Chloride