TY - JOUR
T1 - Smoking and cotton dust effects in cotton textile workers
T2 - An analysis of the shape of the maximum expiratory flow volume curve
AU - Schachter, E. N.
AU - Kapp, M. C.
AU - Maunder, L. R.
PY - 1986
Y1 - 1986
N2 - Cotton textile workers have 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. We defined a new functional parameter (angle β) 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 β than do nonsmokers. Cotton textile workers who have more abnormal lung function than do controls, cannot be distinguished from control by β. We suggest that such functional differences between cotton and smoking effects may reflect injury to different portions of the bronchial tree.
AB - Cotton textile workers have 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. We defined a new functional parameter (angle β) 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 β than do nonsmokers. Cotton textile workers who have more abnormal lung function than do controls, cannot be distinguished from control by β. We suggest that such functional differences between cotton and smoking effects may reflect injury to different portions of the bronchial tree.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0022560434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1289/ehp.8666145
DO - 10.1289/ehp.8666145
M3 - Article
C2 - 3709477
AN - SCOPUS:0022560434
SN - 0091-6765
VL - VOL. 66
SP - 145
EP - 148
JO - Environmental Health Perspectives
JF - Environmental Health Perspectives
ER -