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Predictors of longitudinal changes in pulmonary function among swine confinement workers.
S Kirychuk1, A Senthilselvan, J A Dosman
1Centre for Agricultural Medicine and Department of Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada. Kirychuk@sask.usask.ca
Canadian Respiratory Journal
|March 10, 1999
Summary
Pulmonary function decline in swine workers is predicted by changes within a work shift and endotoxin exposure. These findings highlight the importance of workplace air quality for respiratory health in agricultural settings.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Medicine
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Swine confinement workers face occupational exposures that may impact respiratory health.
- Longitudinal studies are needed to understand the progression of lung function decline in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify predictors of changes in lung function over time among swine confinement workers.
- To investigate the role of indoor air quality, specifically endotoxin levels, in respiratory health decline.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study followed 42 swine confinement workers over a five-year period.
- Pulmonary function was assessed at baseline and follow-up, including across-shift measurements.
- Indoor air quality parameters, including airborne dust, gases, and endotoxins, were measured.
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) was observed annually.
- Baseline across-shift changes in FEV1 and FVC predicted the rate of annual decline.
- Higher endotoxin levels in swine barns were a significant predictor of annual FEV1 decline, after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Work-shift related pulmonary function changes are important predictors of long-term lung function decline in swine workers.
- Endotoxin exposure in swine confinement environments may contribute to the annual decline of FEV1.