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Lung function in West Sussex firemen: a four year study.
K Horsfield1, A R Guyatt, F M Cooper
1Department of Clinical Science, Cardiothoracic Institute, Midhurst, West Sussex.
British Journal of Industrial Medicine
|February 1, 1988
Summary
This study found no evidence of chronic lung damage in firefighters. Firefighters showed a slower rate of lung function decline compared to a control group, likely due to fitness selection and training.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Firefighting is a hazardous occupation with inconsistent evidence regarding long-term lung damage.
- Previous studies on lung function in firefighters have yielded mixed results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate long-term lung function changes in firefighters.
- To compare lung function deterioration rates between firefighters and a control group.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study followed 96 firefighters and 69 control subjects for 4 years.
- Repeated lung function tests were performed, including vital capacity, FEV1, FVC, PEF, V50, V25, Raw, and AME.
- Results were analyzed based on the rate of change in lung function variables over time.
Main Results:
- Firefighters exhibited a slower rate of deterioration in most lung function variables compared to controls.
- Control subjects showed more rapid decline in peak expiratory flow (PEF), V50, V25, and airways resistance (Raw) than even smokers within the firefighter group.
- Alveolar mixing efficiency (AME) did not significantly change in any group, with non-smoking firefighters having the highest AME.
Conclusions:
- The study found no evidence of chronic lung damage in West Sussex firefighters.
- Firefighters demonstrated a lower rate of lung function decline with age compared to controls.
- This protective effect is attributed to fitness selection, physical training, and regular use of breathing apparatus.