Respiratory Symptoms and Lung Function in Never-Smoking Male Workers Exposed To Hardwood Dust.
BACKGROUND
Results from many studies suggest that workplace exposure to organic dust may lead to adverse respiratory effects in exposed workers.


OBJECTIVE
In order to assess the respiratory effects of the workplace exposure to hardwood dust we performed a cross-sectional study of never-smoking male workers employed in parquet manufacture and never-smoking male office workers as a control.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional study including 37 never-smoking male workers employed in parquet manufacture and an equal number of never-smoking male office workers studied as a control. Evaluation of examined subjects included completion of a questionnaire for respiratory symptoms in the last 12 months and baseline spirometry performed according to the actual recommendations.


RESULTS
We found a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms in parquet manufacturers than in office workers with significant difference for cough and phlegm. Majority of the respiratory symptoms in the parquet manufacturers were work-related. The mean values of all spirometric parameters with exception of forced ventilatory capacity (FVC) were significantly lower in the parquet manufacturers as compared to their mean values in the office workers. We found close relationship between both the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and the reduction of spirometric parameters in the parquet manufacturers and the duration of the workplace exposure to wood dust.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that workplace exposure to hardwood dust may lead to adverse respiratory effects indicating the need of adequate preventive measures in order to protect the respiratory health of exposed workers.
Department of Medical and Experimental Physiology with Anthropology, Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Dragana
D
Bislimovska
Department of Medical and Experimental Physiology with Anthropology, Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Sunchica
S
Petrovska
Institute of Occupational Health of Republic of Macedonia, WHO Collaborating Center, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
Jordan
J
Minov
questionnaire; respiratory symptoms; spirometry; wood dust; workplace exposure