Respiratory health of female stone grinders with free silica dust exposure in Gujarat, India.

Eighty-five female quartz mill stone-grinding workers belonging to the Naika, Rathwa and Damor tribes of Chhotaudepur village of the Godhra region of Gujarat, Western India were surveyed and examined to assess health effects related to free silica dust exposure. The mean age for the subjects was 28.2 +/- 9.2 years, while the mean duration of exposure was 2.04 +/- 1.7 years. Chest radiographs showed findings suggestive of silicosis in 14%, silico-tuberculosis in 11.6% and tuberculosis in 8.1% of the study subjects. Respiratory morbidity was significantly associated with duration of exposure (X2 = 9.9, df = 2, p<0.007). On spirometry, obstructive, restrictive and combined (restrictive as well as obstructive) changes were found in 12.8%, 10.5% and 3.5% of the subjects, respectively. Overall, about one-third of subjects displayed abnormal pulmonary function and respiratory morbidity on chest radiographs.

Spirometric measurements among quartz stone ex-workers of Gujarat, India.

The present cross sectional study was carried out among 134 ex-workers from quartz stone crushing units. Using the interview technique as a tool for data collection, demographic and occupational details of the subjects were recorded on the predesigned proforma. Standard diagnostic criteria were used for diagnosing silicosis and silico-tuberculosis. The pulmonary functions of the subjects were measured with Spirovit SP-10. The mean age of the males was found to be 33.18 +/- 10.39 yr and that of the females was 30.10 +/- 9.3 yr and for the whole group was 31.77 +/- 9.99 yr. Mean duration of exposure was 2.74 +/- 1.65 yr. The study variables included age, sex, duration of exposure, smoking and respiratory morbidity. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) which suggests lung parenchymal disorders was found to be significantly reduced with female sex, presence of smoking, increasing duration of exposure and presence of pneumoconiosis, whereas the lung function parameters indicating the status of airways were found to be significantly reduced with all the factors. Therefore, it was concluded that quartz stone workers exposed to approximately 100% free silica had deteriorated lung function which can be attributed mainly to respiratory disorders along with other epidemiological factors such as age, sex, duration of exposure and smoking.

[Enhancing effects of the supernatant of pulmonary alveolar macrophages stimulated by BCG on proliferation on pulmonary fibroblasts].

The supernatant of pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) stimulated by 7.5-60mg/L of BCG could significantly enhance proliferation of pulmonary fibroblasts (PFB), and the supernatant contained high level of TNF. This result indicated BCG could stimulate PAM to produce TNF in vitro. On the other hand, the supernatant of PAM stimulated by 50mg/L of SiO2 could also enhance proliferation of PFB, but the level of TNF in the supernatant was very low and it demonstrated the ingredient in the supernatant enhancing proliferation was not TNF. TNF showed synergistic effect with this ingredient for enhancing proliferation of PFB. Therefore, TNF produced by tuberculosis bacteria-stimulated PAM might be an important factor enhancing the development of fibrosis of silicotuberculosis.