Assessment of the effect of exposure to natural fibers on across- shift changes in spirometric indices among textile workers

Occupational exposures are among the common causes of respiratory diseases. Exposure to the natural fibers as cotton, hemp, flax, and jute can lead to some acute and chronic respiratory diseases among textile workers. One of the most important diseases related to natural fibers is byssinosis. This study was performed to assess and compare spirometric indices between textile workers with or without exposure to natural fibers in during a shift-work on the first day of the work week after a period of absence from work.

This is a cohort study on 320 textile workers in two groups: 160 textile workers exposed to natural fibers (case group) and 160 textile workers without exposure to natural fibers (control group). After filling a demographic questionnaire for all subjects, Across-shift change in spirometric indices was measured and compared between two groups.

According to the results of this survey, in all workers who are working in the textile industry has seen a drop in indices of spirometry during shift work. With the difference that rate decline in these indices in people with face to natural fibers is very significant. In these people decrement of FVC is 16.91% and in people who are not faced is 3.11%, and decline of FEV1 in people exposed is 3.12% while in people without exposure is 0.51%.

Results of this study was demonstrated that more decline in spirometric indices FVC, FVC%, FEV1, FEV1% among textile workers who exposed with natural fibers and two parameters include age and employment duration had significant effect on changes in spirometric indices.