Background:Exposure to tobacco dustcould cause asthma, extrinsic allergic alveo-litis and rhinitis in exposed workers throughseveral mechanism (allergic, irritative,mould-related, etc.) The aim of this studyis the assessment of tobacco dust effects onthe respiratory tract, evaluated by respira-tory symptoms and signs collection, pul-monary function tests and exhaled breathcondensate analysis.Methods:Twenty workers (17 females) pro-cessing dried tobacco leaves and 15 non-exposed workers (11 females) replied to amodified version of the ATS questionnaire,integrated with a detailed occupationalhistory. All the workers underwent to aclinical examination, spirometry and ex-haled breath condensate collection, follow-ing the ERS/ATS methodologicalrecommendation. The nitrite levels in thebreath condensates were measured using theGriess assay.Results:Nine tobacco workers reportedrespiratory symptoms (rhinitis, dyspnoea,wheezing, cough), three of them had dimin-ished breath sounds. Six non exposed work-ers referred respiratory symptoms (rhinitis),no one had pathological signs. Spirometrydid not show a significant difference be-tween exposed and non-exposed workers interms of FEV1 (90.6%,SD29.6 vs. 104.8%,SD15.9), FVC (102%,SD18.2 vs. 108.5,SD14.2), although 3 workers processingtobacco leaves had a significant reduction ofFEV1. Exposed workers had higher levels ofnitrite in exhaled breath condensate(22.92mmol/L; min 0.6, Max 158.71) thannon-exposed (6.68mmol/L; min 0.3, Max33.03), but this difference was not significant(P50.0515). Nitrite levels were correlatedwith time spent in processing tobacco leavesduring the working life and inversely corre-lated with FCV. Despite the high numbersof smokers (70% among exposed workersand 73% among non exposed), smokinghabits had no influence on nitrite in exhaledbreath condensate.Conclusions:In this study we could notdemonstrate a significant effect of proces-sing dried tobacco leaves on respiratoryfunctional tests and nitrite concentration inexhaled breath condensate; however thecorrelation of exhaled breath biomarkerwith length of exposure and the rather highprevalence of respiratory symptoms inexposed workers are suggesting some effectsof tobacco dust on the respiratory tract thatneed to be re-evaluated with further inves-tigations, enrolling more workers exposed todried tobacco dust and analysing otherbiomarkers in exhaled breath condensate
Exhaled breath condensate analysis in workers processing dried tabacco leaves
N. MURGIA
;
2007
Abstract
Background:Exposure to tobacco dustcould cause asthma, extrinsic allergic alveo-litis and rhinitis in exposed workers throughseveral mechanism (allergic, irritative,mould-related, etc.) The aim of this studyis the assessment of tobacco dust effects onthe respiratory tract, evaluated by respira-tory symptoms and signs collection, pul-monary function tests and exhaled breathcondensate analysis.Methods:Twenty workers (17 females) pro-cessing dried tobacco leaves and 15 non-exposed workers (11 females) replied to amodified version of the ATS questionnaire,integrated with a detailed occupationalhistory. All the workers underwent to aclinical examination, spirometry and ex-haled breath condensate collection, follow-ing the ERS/ATS methodologicalrecommendation. The nitrite levels in thebreath condensates were measured using theGriess assay.Results:Nine tobacco workers reportedrespiratory symptoms (rhinitis, dyspnoea,wheezing, cough), three of them had dimin-ished breath sounds. Six non exposed work-ers referred respiratory symptoms (rhinitis),no one had pathological signs. Spirometrydid not show a significant difference be-tween exposed and non-exposed workers interms of FEV1 (90.6%,SD29.6 vs. 104.8%,SD15.9), FVC (102%,SD18.2 vs. 108.5,SD14.2), although 3 workers processingtobacco leaves had a significant reduction ofFEV1. Exposed workers had higher levels ofnitrite in exhaled breath condensate(22.92mmol/L; min 0.6, Max 158.71) thannon-exposed (6.68mmol/L; min 0.3, Max33.03), but this difference was not significant(P50.0515). Nitrite levels were correlatedwith time spent in processing tobacco leavesduring the working life and inversely corre-lated with FCV. Despite the high numbersof smokers (70% among exposed workersand 73% among non exposed), smokinghabits had no influence on nitrite in exhaledbreath condensate.Conclusions:In this study we could notdemonstrate a significant effect of proces-sing dried tobacco leaves on respiratoryfunctional tests and nitrite concentration inexhaled breath condensate; however thecorrelation of exhaled breath biomarkerwith length of exposure and the rather highprevalence of respiratory symptoms inexposed workers are suggesting some effectsof tobacco dust on the respiratory tract thatneed to be re-evaluated with further inves-tigations, enrolling more workers exposed todried tobacco dust and analysing otherbiomarkers in exhaled breath condensateI documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
