Lung function measurements in traditional bakers.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory disease is common and amenable to early detection and management in the primary care setting. Spirometric and phlethysmographic evaluation of ventilatory function plays a critical role in the diagnosis, differentiation and management of respiratory illness such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and restrictive disorders. METHODS: Study subjects consisted of 58 workers in the production of bread and 45 salesclerks of bread from the same bakeries. The lung function of employees was checked using a spirometry and body phlethysmography, calculating the indexes Forced expiratory volume 1 sec (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, residual volume (RV), total lung capacity (TLC), and RV/TLC ratio. The percentage of the obstructive and the restrictive impairment both in the bread producers and sellers was also searched as well as the percentage of response in the bronchodilation. RESULTS: Bread producers recorded significantly lower mean lung functions compared with salesclerks, for FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio, when observed values were expressed as percentages of predicted normal values. Furthermore the percentage of obstructive impairment among the bread producers was 12.6%, while a percentage of 20.68% of them presented a response in bronchodilation (while the percentage in salesclerks was 6.6% respectively). The percentage of restrictive impairment was similar in both groups (12.6% for bread producers and 11.1% for salesclerks). CONCLUSION: The study concluded that bread producers in traditional bakeries in Greece are at increased risk of developing airway obstruction compared with salesclerks of bread from the same bakeries. A different degree of smoking status and of wheat flour dust exposure may explain this difference. Technical preventive measures such as well ventilated work areas and appropriate respiratory protective devices should be adopted.

The alcoholic lung disease: historical background and clinical features.

SUMMARY: The purpose of this review article is to prove the damage that alcohol causes to the respiratory system. We will make a brief review of alcohols history in the course of the centuries till nowadays. The problem of addiction to alcohol (alcoholism) will be examined for several countries. Alcohol's metabolism is another topic to be discussed parallel to its pharmacological action. In addition, alcohol's impact on the respiratory system varies from damaging the mucociliary system to the regulation of breathing and from the sleep apnea syndrome to diffusion disorders. "Alcoholic lung disease" constitutes a syndrome despite the fact that the damage of the lung due to concurrent smoking and drug use is often indistinguishable.

Experience and limited lighting may affect sleepiness of tunnel workers.

BACKGROUND: Working on shifts, especially on a night shift, influences the endogenous sleep regulation system leading to diminished sleep time and increased somnolence. We attempted to evaluate the impact of shifts on sleepiness and correlate the sleepiness score to the experience in a shift schedule. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study consists of 42 male and 2 female workers involved in a tunnel construction. They underwent spirometry, pulse oximetry and were asked to complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaire. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed that workers of lower Epworth had a mean age of 43.6 years, compared to the mean age of 36.4 years of workers with higher Epworth. Furthermore, workers of lower Epworth were characterized by a mean number of shift years equal to 14.8, while those of higher Epworth possessed a mean number of shift years equal to 8. The shift schedule did not reveal any statistically significant correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Workers employed for a longer time had diminished sleepiness. However, there is no relationship between night shifts and sleepiness, possibly because of exposure to artificial lighting in the construction site.