Study of the effects of non-silicosis mineral dusts on chronic respiratory disease.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Saric M
• Description:
  This study was performed on the miners from lignite and brown coal mines and on the workers employed in the production of cement. The basis for a study in these two industries we have had in literature. The authors such as Carstens, Hyatt and some others suggested that occupational exposure in miners, particularly the exposure to dusts, besides producing pneumoconiosis, may also induce nonspecific respiratory impairment. Later on, Higgins, et al. came to a conclusion that smoking habit represents a more significant factor in the development of respiratory impairment than occupation. Enterline and Lainhart, like Higgins, et al. found a higher rate of respiratory symptoms in miners than in control workers, but found the same for miners' wives. The problem of chronic bronchitis and occupation was dealt with in a Medical Research Council's Report in Great Britain in 1966. The results of the so far performed clinico-epidemiological studies into the frequency of chronic nonspecific lung disease in cement workers also differ. Guilliani and Belli report that 84% of workers in a cement plant in Italy suffered from lung emphysema, chronic bronchitis or other chronic respiratory disorders. Vyskocil points out that by examining 104 workers he found nasopharyngitis in almost each worker, chronic bronchitis in 75 and lung emphysema in 21 workers. The Soviet authors Tarnopoljskaja and Ostenskij also report a high rate of lung emphysema in male and female cement workers. The high rate of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, chronic pharyngitis and chronic rhinitis in these workers was equally pointed out by some other authors including the Yugoslav authors Karajovic, et al., and Popovic. Gardner and collaborators on the contrary, did not find chronic respiratory infections in cement workers any more frequently than in the rest of the population. The same experience was reported by Jenny, et al. as well as by Sander and Hudson. More or less controversial opinions in the literature concerning the role of exposure in coal mines and cement production in the occurrence of chronic nonspecific lung disease led us to examine the problem in a group of miners and cement workers in Yugoslavia. In either case i.e among both the cement workers and miners a selection was made among those with five or more years of work experience in underground work and cement production. The investigation was planned and carried out as a cross sectional study. As controls served the workers from the same area, of corresponding age and socio economic structure who had never been occupationally exposed to dusts or chemical irritants. The examinations were performed in the same season (spring). The method of examination consisted of the questionnaire of the Committee on the Aetiology of Chronic Bronchitis of the British Medical Research Council, FVC and FEV1.o determinations, clinical examination, X-ray of the lungs and analysis of the volume and consistency of the early morning sputum. Beside, basic anthropometric measures were taken, electrocardiography was performed and blood pressure measured. Examinations also included miners' and cement workers' wives as well as the wives of the corresponding control workers. These examinations were planned as an attempt to evaluate the influence of nonoccupational factors on the rate of respiratory impairment. Data were analyzed according to criteria worked out by the authors of the questionnaire (Lancet, 1965). Chronic bronchitis was defined as phlegm production in the morning in winter or during day and/or night for at least three months per year, in the course of the last two years or longer. Exacerbations were defined as periods of increased phlegm or cough lasting three weeks or more during the last ·three years. Categories of smokers were determined according to the number of years of smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked per day (Brinkman and Coates). The obtained values of forced expiratory volumes are expressed as percentage of the values expected with regard to age and height of subjects. For women they are presented in relation to normal values established by Kory et al. As far as FEV1.0/FVC(%) values are concerned as reduced were regarded the values of 79% and lower for the 20-29 age group, 76% and lower for the 30-39 age group, 74% and lower for the 40-49 age group and 71% and lower for the 50-59 age group. The study has been in its final stage. In this paper the most important results are presented separately for groups of miners and cement workers.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Carcinogens Laboratories Mining Neoplasms Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Vehicle Emissions
• Keywords:
  Chronic Diseases Coal Dust Coal Miners Concretes Cross Sectional Studies Health Effects Lung Disease Occupational Exposure Respiratory Diseases
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Conference/Symposia Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  261-296
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057373
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the Special Foreign Currency Program Symposium, October 1970, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia. Henschel A ed. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Health Services and Mental Health Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1970 Oct; :261-296
• Editor(s):
  Henschel A
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1971
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the Special Foreign Currency Program Symposium, October 1970, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5a4cf188e843861c056ffcc237056cd3f49d02e646f789f2ecaec861a6b70fe591d383aeaa8663b56e5b8fc85c2f15e5e416d1be0e2e8351040092b1c9a4e387
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/181821/cdc_181821_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.74 MB ]