[Study on prevalence of upper and lower airways disorders in woodworkers, using data from medical surveillance reports and exposure registers].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate correlations between exposure to wood dust, upper airways symptoms and lung function.


METHODS
We have analysed medical surveillance reports of 197 woodworkers with a median wood dust TWA exposure of 2.1 mg/m3. Every worker was examined by an otorhinolaryngologist and had a spirometric test. The results have been analysed with logistic regression to correlate prevalence of symptoms and spirometric data with occupational exposure to wood dust, length of service, regular use of respiratory protection and smoking habits.


RESULTS
Epistaxis (prevalence: 10.1%) correlates with no smoking habits (OR = 6.4; p = 0.01); subacute or chronic rhinitis (prevalence: 41.6%) correlates with exposure to wood dust (O = 1.37; p = 0.01) and no use of respirstory protection (OR = 1.68; p = 0.09); subacute or chronic pharyngitis (prevalence: 17.2%) has a weak but significant correlation with length of service (OR = 1.03; p = 0.05); decrease in FEF25-75 (prevalence: 19.8%) correlates with no use of respiratory protection (OR = 2.56; p = 0.02) and exposure to wood dust (OR = 1.29; p = 0.09); pathologic decrease of VC (prevalence: 5.1%) correlates with exposure to wood dust (OR = 1.69; p = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
this study seems to confirm that chronic irritation of upper and lower respiratory tract are caused by exposure to wood dust below the european 8 hours exposure legal limit of 5 mg/m3.
Veneri
L
L
Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Unità Operativa Prevenzione e Sicurezza negli Ambienti di Lavoro, AUSL Forlì, via della Rocca 19, 47100 Forlì, Italy. l.veneri@ausl.fo.it
Caso
M A
MA
Ravaioli
M
M
Albonetti
A
A
Ghini
P
P
Mazzavillani
M
M
Valentini
M G
MG
D000328:Adult; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D014934:Wood
D004391:Dust