Associations between occupational exposures and COPD incidence, stratified by intensity of exposure
| Cases in unexposed (%) | Cases in ever low-exposed (%) | Cases in ever high-exposed (%) | Relative risk (95% CI), ever low vs no exposure | Relative risk (95% CI), ever high vs no exposure | |
| Biological dust | 55/2264 (2.4) | 31/905 (3.4) | 10/174 (5.7) | 1.5 (1.0 to 2.2) | 2.2 (1.2 to 4.0) |
| Mineral dust | 65/2501 (2.6) | 18/554 (3.2) | 13/288 (4.5) | 1.0 (0.6 to 1.7) | 1.3 (0.7 to 2.2) |
| Gases and fumes | 41/1888 (2.2) | 45/1102 (4.1) | 10/353 (2.8) | 1.6 (1.1 to 2.5) | 1.0 (0.5 to 1.9) |
| Vapours, gases, dusts and fumes | 40/1725 (2.3) | 35/1067 (3.3) | 21/551 (3.8) | 1.3 (0.8 to 2.0) | 1.3 (0.8 to 2.3) |
| Herbicides | 91/3269 (2.8) | 1/49 (2.0) | 4/25 (16.0) | 0.5 (0.0 to 3.0) | 2.8 (1.0 to 5.9) |
| Insecticides | 88/3229 (2.7) | 3/54 (5.6) | 5/60 (8.3) | 2.0 (0.5 to 5.2) | 2.2 (0.8 to 4.5) |
| Fungicides | 88/3211 (2.7) | 4/72 (5.6) | 4/60 (6.7) | 1.5 (0.5 to 3.7) | 2.0 (0.7 to 4.6) |
| All pesticides | 86/3179 (2.7) | 5/94 (5.3) | 5/70 (7.1) | 2.0 (0.7 to 4.4) | 2.1 (0.8 to 4.3) |
| Aromatic solvents | 80/2796 (2.9) | 14/495 (2.8) | 2/52 (3.8) | 0.8 (0.5 to 1.4) | 1.3 (0.2 to 4.6) |
| Chlorinated solvents | 83/2904 (2.9) | 9/320 (2.8) | 4/119 (3.4) | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.6) | 0.7 (0.2 to 1.7) |
| Other solvents | 71/2391 (3.0) | 22/883 (2.5) | 3/69 (4.3) | 0.8 (0.5 to 1.2) | 1.4 (0.4 to 4.0) |
| Metals | 82/2922 (2.8) | 10/287 (3.5) | 4/134 (3.0) | 1.0 (0.5 to 1.9) | 0.7 (0.2 to 1.7) |
Relative risks adjusted for sex, age, pack-years of smoking, FEV1/FVC ratio at baseline (%predicted), socioeconomic status and early life disadvantage score.