Lung function and respiratory symptoms among mine workers in the Eastern part of Iran

Abstract

Background ― Workers in the mineral industries are exposed to airborne dust and its occupational exposure can cause respiratory disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the lung function and respiratory symptoms of workers exposed to mineral dust in the Eastern part of Iran. Material and Methods ― This cross-sectional study was conducted on 156 workers in kaolin mine, gold mine, quarry, and stone cutting workshops as a dust exposed group and 48 administrative personnel in these sections as an unexposed group. After the general medical examination and completion of the demographic questionnaire, workers’ pulmonary function test was performed for each person using a spirometer according to the American Thoracic Society standards. Finally, data analysis was performed using Tukey's post hoc and chi-squared tests. Results ― The mean age in the exposed group to dust and control group were 33.8±7.9 and 36.7±8.0 years (data are presented as mean with standard deviation), weight – 75.1±13.0 and 75.0±11.2 kg, height – 173.2±6.8 and 173.1±6.3 cm, and work experience – 9.1±4.6 and 8.4±5.3 years, respectively. There was no significant difference between the working groups in the kaolin, gold, quarry, and stone cutting sections and the control group on the demographic variables. The mean value of the lung function parameters was lower in different working groups than in the control group. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second parameters (P0.05). Conclusion ― The results showed the exposed groups have significantly lower pulmonary function than the control group. Two out of four main pulmonary function variables showed reduce amounts in exposed groups.

Keywords

• lung function
• respiratory symptoms
• mineral dust
• workers