Smoking and cotton dust effects in cotton textile workers: an analysis of the shape of the maximum expiratory flow volume curve

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8666145· OSTI ID:6846610

Schachter, E N; Kapp, M C; Maunder, L R; Beck, G; Witek, T J

Cotton textile workers have an increased prevalence of both obstructive and restrictive lung function patterns when compared to control subjects. Similar abnormal lung function patterns may occur with other respiratory diseases, notably those associated with cigarette smoking. The shape of the maximum expiratory flow volume (MEFV) curve has been used to characterize patterns of lung function abnormality. The authors defined a new functional parameter (angle ..beta..) related to the shape of the MEFV curve in order better to characterize the respiratory effects of cotton dust exposure. In this study, 477 cotton textile workers, both current smokers and never smokers 45 years and older, were compared to 932 similarly aged control subjects from three communities: Lebanon and Ansonia, CT, and Winnsboro, SC. Smokers, regardless of their occupational exposure or sex, have smaller values of ..beta.. than do nonsmokers. Cotton textile workers who have more abnormal lung function than do controls, cannot be distinguished from controls by ..beta... They suggest that such functional differences between cotton and smoking effects may reflect injury to different portions of the bronchial tree.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ. School of Medicine, Haven, CT
• OSTI ID: 6846610
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 66; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
CLEARANCE
COLLOIDS
COTTON
DISPERSIONS
DUSTS
EXCRETION
EXHALATION
FUNCTIONS
LUNGS
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SMOKES
SOLS
TEXTILES
TOBACCO SMOKES
VOLUME