The objective of this study was to establish reference norms for dynamic lung volumes and forced expiratory flows applicable to the Sinhalese ethnic group in Sri Lanka. Respiratory function tests were carried out on 367 female and 328 male healthy non-smoking Sinhalese adults of age range 17-65 years. Subjects included hospital and university staff, students of the Faculty of Medicine at Peradeniya and healthy relatives accompanying patients to outpatients clinics. An 8-litre rolling-seal spirometer was used in conjunction with a X-Y recorder. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) reached a peak at 30 years in males and 23 years in females. All measurements except forced mid-expiratory flow (FEV25-75%) increased with increasing height. The flow-volume curve became progressively concave towards the volume axis with advancing age. Lung function measurements correlated best with age and height. Therefore prediction formulae were developed with these two measurements as the independent variables. Nomograms based on these formulae were constructed. When standardized for height and age, forced expiratory volumes were smaller than in Europeans, Negroes and Pakistanis, and were comparable to South Indian data. However, flows did not vary significantly from those of other ethnic groups. It can therefore be concluded that the Sinhalese have smaller lungs than Europeans and Negroes even after adjustment for differences in stature, but lung elastic recoil pressure and airway calibre (which are determinants of forced expiratory flows) appear to be similar to those of other ethnic groups.
Pulmonary function tests (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC%, TLCO, single breath CO diffusion), chest x ray film, renal function (serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen), liver function (serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transferase, and alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, total protein, and albumin), a haematological screen (haemoglobin and packed cell volume), and a general clinical examination were performed on 85 paraquat spraymen (mean spraying time 12 years) and on two control groups (76 factory workers and 79 general workers) frequency matched for age and years of occupational service. All the subjects were men. There were no clinically important differences in any of the measurements made between the study group and the two control groups. In particular the results of the lung function tests, appropriate for paraquat toxicity of the study group, were similar to those of the control groups. The same was true of blood tests for liver and kidney function. The incidence of skin damage, nose bleeds, and nail damage in the study group was slightly higher than in the control groups but lower than the incidence reported for paraquat workers in previous studies. The results of this study confirmed that long term spraying of paraquat, at the concentrations used, produced no adverse health effects, in particular no lung damage, attributable to the occupational use of the herbicide.
A study of respiratory function was carried out in 192 adult Sri Lanknd females of age group 19-29 years. Vital capacity (VC), Forcedvital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVVF) were measured by spirometry and the peak flow rate by a mini Wright peak flow meter. The d u e s observed were found to be less than that reported for Europeans and closer to thoge af North Indian populations. The relationkhip of thi results to-height and weight was studied. Prediction formulae based on height were derived for some of the tests.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and the effect on ventilatory capacity in workers exposed to tea dust for at least five years during the sifting process of tea manufacture compared to a control group of field workers who were not exposed to tea dust previously. Fifty-three subjects each in the study and control groups were matched for age, sex, ethnic group and height. Prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was obtained by questionnaire. Spirometric measurements included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1.0) and forced mid-expiratory flow rate (FEF 25-75%). The study group had a chest radiograph. The odds ratio for any chronic respiratory symptom was 11.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.7-39.4) in the study group. Mean values for the spirometric tests were lower in the study group; the differences in FEV 1.0 and FEF 25-75% were significant. Tuberculosis was not found in the study group, while one subject (2.4%) had radiological evidence of bronchiectasis. It may therefore be concluded that chronic tea dust exposure causes increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms and a significant degree of small airways obstruction.
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