Respiratory function of textile workers employed in dyeing cotton and wool fibers

Abstract

A group of 135 textile dyeing workers (97 male and 38 female) was studied for the prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function changes. Respiratory symptoms were elicited by a standardized questionnaire, and lung function testing was performed before and after the morning shift by recording maximum expiratory flow‐volume (MEFV) curves. In addition, 103 nonexposed control workers were studied. The prevalence of all chronic respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in the exposed than in the control workers; in particular, the prevalence of occupational asthma was 6%. The exposed nonsmoking workers had more complaints than the controls who were nonsmokers. As expected, most of the symptoms were more prevalent in smokers than in nonsmokers. Nonsmokers with both long‐ and short‐term work exposure had higher prevalences of dyspnea and rhinitis than control workers. Smokers exposed for 10 years or less had significantly higher prevalences of chronic phlegm than nonsmokers with the same duration of exposure (p < 0.05). In workers exposed for >10 years, there were significantly higher prevalences of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, and chronic bronchitis in smokers than in nonsmokers (p < 0.01). A high prevalence of shift‐related symptoms was found in exposed workers. Significant across‐shift reductions of ventilatory capacity tests were documented in this cohort and varied from an average of 4.0% for FVC to 14.2% for FEF25. Preshift values of ventilatory capacity were significantly lower in this exposed population compared to predicted values suggesting a chronic effect. Our data suggest that textile dyeing workers develop acute and chronic respiratory impairment as a result of their exposures. These findings are exacerbated by cigarette smoking. Am. J. Ind. Med. 31:344–352, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Prevalence and risk factors of work related asthma by industry among United States workers: data from the third national health and nutrition examination survey (1988–94)

“…17 23 In a community based case-control study of risk factors of work related asthma in different occupational groups in Singapore, Ng et al 17 reported more than a five-fold increased risk of asthma among textile workers. In a study by Zuskin et al, 33 occupational asthma was present among 6% of workers exposed to textile dye. These same authors, in another study, reported significant changes in pulmonary function indices across the shift among synthetic textile workers.…”

“…Chemicals, petroleum, and coal products Chemicals, petroleum, and coal products (180-201) 10 Rubber, plastics, and leather products Rubber, plastics, and leather products (210-222) 11 Lumber and wood products Lumber and wood products, including furniture (230-242) 12 Metal industries ¶ Metal industries; machinery, except electrical (270-332) 14 Electrical machinery, equipment, and supplies** Electrical machinery, equipment, and supplies; miscellaneous and not specified manufacturing industries (340-350, 391-392) 15 Transportation equipment Transportation equipment (351-370) 17 Trucking and transportation † † Trucking service; transportation, except trucking (400-432) 19 Communications Communications (440-442) 20 Utilities Utilities (460-472) 21 Wholesale ‡ ‡ Wholesale trade, durable goods; wholesale trade, non-durable and not specified goods (500-571) 23 Retail trade § § Department stores, food stores, vehicle dealers, supply and service stores, apparel and accessory stores and other retail trade (580-631, 642-691) 27 Eating and drinking places Eating and drinking places (641) 31 Business services ¶ ¶ Business services, other professional and related services (721-750, 882-892) 32 Repair services Automotive repair and related services, electrical repair shops, miscellaneous repair services (751-760) 33 Private households Private households (761) 34 Lodging places Lodging places (762-770) 35 Personal services Personal services, except private households and lodging (771-791) 36 Entertainment and recreation services Entertainment and recreation services (800-802) 37 Health related*** Offices of health practitioners, hospitals, health services, not elsewhere classified (812-840) 40 Educational services Educational services (842-860) 43 Justice, public order and safety Justice, public order, and safety (910) review by an industrial hygienist (table 1) to have an optimal number of observations in each industrial group for meaningful statistical analysis. The industrial hygienist was blinded to the subject's asthma status.…”

Pattern and predictors for respiratory illnesses and symptoms and lung function among textile workers in Karachi, Pakistan

“…However, the textile industry is considered as a mixed environment in terms of exposure to asthmagens, and the risk of asthma is higher only in certain sections of the industry, for instance, the dyeing section 37. By contrast, the recent review by Liebers et al has also suggested that endotoxins present in cotton dust may protect textile workers from atopic asthma 34.…”

Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Functions of Workers Employed in Turkish Textile Dyeing Factories

“…In a study, prevalences of chronic respiratory symptoms in exposed workers were significantly higher than in control workers [15]. Park et al reported that 25.2% of reactive-dye exposed workers had work-related lower respiratory symptoms [19].…”

“…However, there are few available studies on respiratory function in the workers employed in the textile dyeing industry [15]. Viegi et al evaluated respiratory functions in workers of a dyeing factory and found the prevalence of chronic bronchitis and dyspnea to be 32%, flow rates were significantly lower than reference values [16].…”