Prevalence of respiratory symptoms and spirometric changes among workers in a timber company city Buga, Colombia

Abstract

In the processing industry of wood there are several operations that cause particles to become airborne and can cause a wide range of disorders of the respiratory system.

Objective: Determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and spirometric changes associated with the diagnosis of occupational asthma.

Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted in 38 individuals (exposed and not exposed) to particulate matter. We applied the respiratory symptoms questionnaire of the American Association of Thoracic and spirometry according to the protocol for epidemiological surveillance of occupational asthma in Colombia. To determine the association between respiratory symptoms and spirometric variables we used the Pearson coefficient (ɑ= 0,05).

Results: In the exposed group were all men between 19 and 28 years old, while in the non-exposed group 40% were men and 60% women, aged between 29 and 38 years of age. Half (50%) of participants had less than 5 years on the job and 22,2% were active smokers in the exposed group. In the non-exposed group there were no active smokers. The frequency of respiratory symptoms in exposed was: dyspnea (22,2%), allergic rhinitis (27,8%), and chest tightness (11,1%). In the non-exposed group frequencies were: dyspnea (30%), allergic rhinitis (25%), and chest tightness (10%). The spirometric variables that showed statistical significance in the exposed group, during pre-exposition vs postbronchodilator, were both forced vital capacity (FVC) (33,3%) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (40%). The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and spirometric abnormalities was 21% and 36% respectively for the exposed group.

Conclusion: The prevalence spirometric is higher than the clinical prevalence in the exposed group. Keywords: Respiratory Symptoms, Pulmonary Function Testing, Wood Dust. Research line: Occupational medicine.