Lung function by exposure among 133 jewellery production workers and 54 referents
| Parameters | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FVC | FVC (% predicted) | FEV1 | FEV1 (% predicted) | FEV1/FVC | |
| Referent vs total exposed | |||||
| Referent (n=54) | 3.49±0.29 | 92.7±4.6 | 3.04±0.24 | 92.2±2.8 | 0.87±0.03 |
| Total exposed (n=133) | 2.89±0.29 | 83.9±5.9 | 2.40±0.27 | 81.8±5.9 | 0.83±0.06 |
| Within exposure subcategories | |||||
| Melting (n=32) | 3.00±0.25 | 86.1±6.6 | 2.61±0.21 | 85.6±5.5 | 0.87±0.07 |
| Fabricating (n=61) | 2.99±0.22 | 84.9±4.2 | 2.47±0.20 | 82.4±4.5 | 0.83±0.05 |
| Polishing/buffing (n=40) | 2.64±0.27 | 80.5±6.5 | 2.12±0.18 | 77.6±5.7 | 0.81±0.06 |
Data are presented as mean±SD.
FVC, forced vital capacity in litres; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s in litres.
Referent vs exposed group differences p<0.01 for all lung function variables shown. Polishing vs melting and polishing vs fabricating differences in all lung function variables p<0.01. Melting vs fabricating differences in FEV1 and FEV1/FVC, p<0.01 and FEV1% predicted, p<0.05; differences in FVC and FVC% predicted were not significant between the melting and fabricating groups.