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An epidemiological study of the respiratory health of workers in the European refractory ceramic fibre industry. 2001

H A Cowie, and P Wild, and J Beck, and G Auburtin, and C Piekarski, and N Massin, and J W Cherrie, and J F Hurley, and B G Miller, and S Groat, and C A Soutar
Institute of Occupational Medicine, 8 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh EH8 9SU, UK. hilary.cowie@iomhq.org.uk

OBJECTIVE To investigate possible relations between respiratory health and past airborne exposure to refractory ceramic fibres (RCFs) and respirable dust in workers at six European factories, studied previously in 1987. METHODS The target population comprised all current workers associated with RCF production, plus others who had participated in 1987 "leavers". Information was collected on personal characteristics, chest radiographs, lung function, respiratory symptoms, smoking, and full occupational history. Regression analysis was used to study relations between indices of health of individual workers and of cumulative exposure to airborne dust and fibres, and likely past exposure to asbestos. CONCLUSIONS 774 workers participated (90% of current workers, 37% of leavers). Profusion of small opacities in exposed workers (51% 0/1+; 8% 1/0+) was similar to that among an unexposed control group but higher than in new readings of the 1987 study films (11% 0/1+, 2% 1/0+). The large difference between 1987 and recent films may be, at least in part, a reading artefact associated with film appearance. Small opacities of International Labour Organisation (ILO) category 1/0+ were not associated with exposure. An association of borderline significance overall between 0/1+ opacities and exposure to respirable fibres was found for some exposure periods only, the time related pattern being biologically implausible. Pleural changes were related to age and exposure to asbestos, and findings were consistent with an effect of time since first exposure to RCFs. Among men, forced expired volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were inversely related to exposure to fibres, in current smokers only. FEV(1)/ FVC ratio and transfer factor (TL(CO)) were not related to exposures. The estimated restrictive effect was on average mild. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms was low. Chronic bronchitis and its associated symptoms (cough, phlegm) showed some association with recent exposure to respirable fibres. This could be due to an irritant effect of RCFs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008171 Lung Diseases Pathological processes involving any part of the LUNG. Pulmonary Diseases,Disease, Pulmonary,Diseases, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Disease,Disease, Lung,Diseases, Lung,Lung Disease
D008297 Male Males
D009784 Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment. Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D012044 Regression Analysis Procedures for finding the mathematical function which best describes the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. In linear regression (see LINEAR MODELS) the relationship is constrained to be a straight line and LEAST-SQUARES ANALYSIS is used to determine the best fit. In logistic regression (see LOGISTIC MODELS) the dependent variable is qualitative rather than continuously variable and LIKELIHOOD FUNCTIONS are used to find the best relationship. In multiple regression, the dependent variable is considered to depend on more than a single independent variable. Regression Diagnostics,Statistical Regression,Analysis, Regression,Analyses, Regression,Diagnostics, Regression,Regression Analyses,Regression, Statistical,Regressions, Statistical,Statistical Regressions
D012129 Respiratory Function Tests Measurement of the various processes involved in the act of respiration: inspiration, expiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, lung volume and compliance, etc. Lung Function Tests,Pulmonary Function Tests,Function Test, Pulmonary,Function Tests, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Function Test,Test, Pulmonary Function,Tests, Pulmonary Function,Function Test, Lung,Function Test, Respiratory,Function Tests, Lung,Function Tests, Respiratory,Lung Function Test,Respiratory Function Test,Test, Lung Function,Test, Respiratory Function,Tests, Lung Function,Tests, Respiratory Function
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D004739 England A part of Great Britain within the United Kingdom.
D005260 Female Females
D005602 France A country in western Europe bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the Mediterranean Sea, and the countries of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the principalities of Andorra and Monaco, and by the duchy of Luxembourg. Its capital is Paris. Corsica,Saint Pierre and Miquelon,Miquelon and Saint Pierre,Miquelon and St. Pierre,St. Pierre and Miquelon
D005858 Germany A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.

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