Abstract

The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and functional abnormalities has been evaluated in a sample of 350 workers (186 males and 164 females, mean age: 35.1 and 36.6 years respectively) employed in 24 factories of the shoes industry in the area of Pisa, exposed to airway irritants (solvent vapours, leather dusts and fumes). Each subject performed C.N.R. questionnaire of respiratory symptoms and diseases, and measurement of Forced Vital Capacity and derived indices. A mild prevalence of respiratory symptoms (chronic cough: 9.3% and 8.5% in males and females respectively; chronic phlegm: 14.6% and 6.8%; persistent wheeze: 2.1% and 1.7%; dyspnea of 1st degree: 23.3% and 39.0%) was reported, more frequently in smokers than in non smokers. Subjects with longer job duration in the shoe industry showed a trend to have a higher prevalence of chronic phlegm than subjects with shorter job duration; on the contrary, the last ones had a higher prevalence of rhino-conjunctivitis. A higher prevalence of attacks of shortness of breath and dyspnea of 2nd degree in males, and dyspnea of 1st degree in females was observed in workers to high risk job (to shear, to use adhesive, etc.) with respect to workers employed in low risk job (to assembly, to store etc). Mean spirometric values where in the normal range. Subdividing the subjects in groups with different smoking habit and job duration, a mild effect of the occupational exposure in groups with the same smoking habit could be observed for FEV1 and MEF50 particularly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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