title: Occupational Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Danish Population-Based Study.
abstract: The aim was to explore the impact of occupation on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a cross-sectional population-based study among subjects aged 45 to 84 years. In a stratified sampling 89 general practitioners practices (GPP) in Denmark recruited 3106 males and 1636 females through the Danish Civil Registration System. COPD was defined by spirometry by the 2.5(th)-centile Lower Limit of Normal of FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. Information about smoking, occupational exposure and the respective occupations were obtained from questionnaires. Occupations followed the Danish adaptation of The International Standard Classification of Occupations, revision 1988 (DISCO-88). Exposure to vapour, gas, dust (organic and inorganic), and fume (VGDF) in each occupation (yes/no) was evaluated by two independent specialist in occupational medicine. Exposures were divided in no, low, medium, and high exposure as 0, < 5, 5-14, and ≥ 15 years in the job, respectively. Data was analysed by a mixed random effect logistic regression model. The age-standardised COPD study prevalence was 5.0%. Of 372 DISCO-88 codes 72 were identified with relevant exposure to VGDF. 46% of the participants reported at least one occupation with VGDF exposure. Adjusted for smoking, age, sex, and GPP a dose-dependent association of COPD was found among workers in jobs with high organic dust exposure, with OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.09-2.24). Restricted to agriculture the OR was 1.59 (95% CI: 1.08-2.33). No association was observed for workers in jobs with inorganic dust, fume/gas, or vapour exposures. In summary, occupational organic dust exposure was associated to the prevalence of COPD.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre , Aalborg University Hospital , Aalborg , Denmark.
authors.forename: Else Toft
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Würtz
authors.forename: Vivi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schlünssen
authors.forename: Tine Halsen
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Malling
authors.forename: Jens Georg
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Øyvind
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Omland
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational
keywords: epidemiology; occupational exposure; organic dust; prevalence study