title: Combined effect of cigarette smoking and occupational exposures on lung function: a cross-sectional study of rubber industry workers.
abstract: Workers in the rubber industry are exposed to pulmonary health hazards. The main purpose of this study was to assess the combined effect of cigarette smoking and occupational exposures on lung function. The exposed group consisted of tire manufacturing workers in production units and the non-exposed group included executives from the same factory. The researchers calculated the synergy index (SI) to determine the combined effect of exposures to cigarette smoke and pulmonary health hazards on lung function. A significant correlation was found between occupational exposures in the rubber industry and abnormal spirometric findings (p < .05). The synergistic effect of cigarette smoking and occupational exposures on lung function was significant (SI = 2.25; p < .05). This study demonstrated that occupational exposures and smoking may have a synergistic effect on the respiratory systems of tire manufacturing workers. The results suggest that tire manufacturing companies should consider establishing spirometric surveillance systems in their factories. Also, smoking cessation should be promoted, engineering controls applied, and respiratory protection provided to workers.
authors: Occupational Medicine Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mirsaeed
authors: M
authors: Attarchi
authors: Faezeh
authors: F
authors: Dehghan
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Afrasyabi
authors: Zargham
authors: Z
authors: Sadeghi
authors: Saber
authors: S
authors: Mohammadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002617:Chemical Industry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004391:Dust; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012408:Rubber; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013147:Spirometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D012408:Rubber