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Published on: May 9, 2018
Immunological findings and respiratory function in cotton textile workers
E Zuskin1, B Kanceljak, E N Schachter
1Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
Insights
Immunological responses to cotton dust are common in textile workers, but these findings, including elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE), do not correlate with respiratory symptoms or lung function decline. This suggests immunology may not be the primary cause of byssinosis.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Immunology
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Cotton textile workers are at risk for respiratory issues like byssinosis.
- Previous studies suggest immunological reactions may play a role in textile worker respiratory diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate immunological parameters in cotton textile workers.
- To determine the correlation between immunological findings, respiratory symptoms, and lung function.
Main Methods:
- Skin testing with cotton dust and seed extracts was performed on 24 cotton textile workers and 30 controls.
- Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were measured.
- In vitro studies assessed guinea pig trachea response to cotton bract extract.
Main Results:
- 33.3% of cotton workers had positive skin tests, and 5/8 had elevated IgE.
- Only one skin-test-positive worker reported byssinosis symptoms.
- No significant differences in lung function or changes were observed between immunological groups.
- Cotton bract extract caused a dose-dependent contractile response in guinea pig trachea in vitro.
Conclusions:
- Immunological findings such as positive skin tests and elevated IgE are frequent in cotton textile workers.
- These immunological markers show poor correlation with respiratory symptoms and lung function.
- Immunological reactions may not be the primary mechanism underlying airway obstruction in byssinosis.
Abstract:
Immunological parameters were studied in a group of 24 cotton textile workers. These were volunteers from a cohort of 106 (83 women and 23 men) previously studied textile workers. A group of 30 employees from a bottle packing plant served as a control for the immunologic studies. The subgroup of volunteers undergoing immunologic testing did not differ from the original cohort of textile workers in age, sex, smoking history, or prevalence of most chronic respiratory symptoms, nor were there any significant differences in baseline lung function or across-shift changes. The 24 cotton worker volunteers underwent skin testing with extracts of cotton dust and cotton seed. Eight of these 24 (33.3%) had positive tests, and 5 of the 8 had elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Only one of the 8 skin-test-positive workers had symptoms of byssinosis. Only 1 of 30 control workers' skin tested with cotton extract reacted, and none had an increased serum IgE level (P less than 0.01). Both baseline lung function and across-shift changes did not differ between workers with positive and negative skin test reactions or between workers with normal and elevated IgE levels. Additionally, we studied the response in vitro of nonsensitized guinea pig trachea to cotton bract extract and demonstrated a dose-dependent contractile response. These data suggest that while immunological findings are frequent in textile workers, they correlate poorly with respiratory symptoms and function and may not be the basis for the airway obstruction seen in this disease.
