Respiratory symptoms and alterations in pulmonary function tests in swine producers in Saskatchewan: results of a survey of farmers
Dosman, J.A.; Graham, B.L.; Hall, D.; Pahwa, P.; McDuffie, H.H.; Lucewicz, M.; To, T.
Journal of Occupational Medicine. Official Publication of the Industrial Medical Association 30(9): 715-720
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0096-1736 PMID: 3183788 Document Number: 313214
To determine whether farmers who produced swine in animals confinement chambers in Saskatchewan were at increased risk of developing respiratory dysfunction, we carried out a respiratory health questionnaire and spirometric pulmonary function test measurements, including forced expired volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and the ratio of FEV1 to FVC (FEV1/FVC .times. 100), on 504 farmers who indicated that they raised swine, and 448 rural-dwelling nonfarming control subjects. Swine producers had lower values for FVC and FEV1 than did the control subjects. However FEV1/FVC .times. 100 was somewhat higher in the swine producers. The reduction in FEV1 with retained FEV1/FVC ratio is suggestive of restrictive disease. However, the fact that the FEV1/FVC ratio is only modestly higher in swine producers than in control subjects suggests that may be a mixed restrictive/obstructive condition in these workers.