Pulmonary function abnormalities in never-smoking flight attendants exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in the aircraft cabin.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the flight attendants who were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in the aircraft cabin have abnormal pulmonary function.


METHODS
We administered questionnaires and performed pulmonary function testing in 61 never-smoking female flight attendants who worked in active air crews before the smoking ban on commercial aircraft (preban).


RESULTS
Although the preban flight attendants had normal FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio, they had significantly decreased flow at mid- and low-lung volumes, curvilinear flow-volume curves, and evidence of air trapping. Furthermore, the flight attendants had significantly decreased diffusing capacity (77.5% +/- 11.2% predicted normal) with 51% having a diffusing capacity below their 95% normal prediction limit.


CONCLUSIONS
This cohort of healthy never-smoking flight attendants who were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in the aircraft cabin showed pulmonary function abnormalities suggestive of airway obstruction and impaired diffusion.
Arjomandi
Mehrdad
M
Center of Excellence, Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0111, USA.
Haight
Thaddeus
T
Redberg
Rita
R
Gold
Warren M
WM
D000368:Aged; D000401:Aircraft; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution