title: [Respiratory symptoms and obstructive ventilatory disorder in Tunisian woman exposed to biomass].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In some Tunisian cities, especially semi-urbanized, the exposure to the smoke produced during combustion of the biomass, main source of pollution of indoor air, remains prevalent among non-smoking women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between exposure to biomass smoke and the presence of obstructive ventilatory disorder in the non-smoking women in semi-urban areas of Tunisia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross etiological study, using a questionnaire, including 140 non-smoking women responsible for cooking and/or exposed during heating by traditional means with objective measurement of their respiratory functions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 81 women exposed to biomass for a period of≥20 hours-years and 59 unexposed women. Exposed women reported more respiratory symptoms namely exertional dyspnea and/or chronic cough than unexposed. Of the 140 women, 14 women have an FEV/FEV6<70% of which 13 are exposed to biomass. We found a correlation between respiratory symptoms and obstructive ventilatory disorder in exposed women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The air pollution inside the home during the traditional activities of cooking and/or heating is a respiratory risk factor for non-smoking women over the age of 30 years. Exposure to biomass smoke can cause chronic respiratory symptoms and persistent obstructive ventilatory disorder that can consistent with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie I, hôpital Abderrahmane Mami de l'Ariana, faculté de médecine de Tunis, université El Manar de Tunis, 2080 Tunis, Tunisie. Electronic address: kwassmedecine@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kwas
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie I, hôpital Abderrahmane Mami de l'Ariana, faculté de médecine de Tunis, université El Manar de Tunis, 2080 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rahmouni
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie I, hôpital Abderrahmane Mami de l'Ariana, faculté de médecine de Tunis, université El Manar de Tunis, 2080 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zendah
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie I, hôpital Abderrahmane Mami de l'Ariana, faculté de médecine de Tunis, université El Manar de Tunis, 2080 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghedira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018533:Biomass; D003296:Cooking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006361:Heating / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012906:Smoke
keywords: BPCO; Biomasse combustible; COPD; Combustible biomass; Exposition; Exposure; Femme non tabagique; Non-smoking woman; Obstructive ventilatory disorder; Trouble ventilatoire obstructif