Respiratory Symptoms, Pulmonary Function and The Role of Interlukin-1Β in The Inflammatory Reaction among Workers at a Cement Factory in Cairo, Egypt | ||||
| The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine | ||||
| Article 8, Volume 36, Issue 4, October 2018, Page 77-86 PDF (283.72 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejcm.2018.22999 | ||||
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| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Cement workers are exposed to various workplace factors that may affect their health. These health effects depend on the duration, level of exposure and individual sensitivity. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of exposure to cement dust on lung function of workers in a national cement production factory at North Cairo and to identify the possible association between such findings and interlukin-1β in addition to personal and work-related factors. Method: It included 96 workers from different departments of cement factory (exposed group) and 100 workers group from an Egyptian public institution (control group). Data collected included personal data, occupational and medical history, clinical chest examination and body mass index. Pulmonary function tests were performed to suspected 60 subjects from the exposed group and all subjects from the control group. Interleukin-1β, liver function tests and kidney function tests were measured in 67 exposed workers who agree to provide a blood sample. Results showed that cement workers and controls were matched for age, gender and smoking status. Chronic cough and expectoration were significantly higher among the exposed group. Moreover, the percentage of cement workers with reduced FEV1, FVC was significantly higher than control group. The mean work duration of the exposed group was 24 years, small percentage of workers reported wearing personal protective devices as none reported they were informed about possible hazardous exposures before starting work. Most of the participants had normal interleukin levels and normal liver and kidney function tests. However, 8.8% of cement workers have elevated serum creatinine, 23.5% have elevated blood urea nitrogen, 13.2% have elevated serum ALT and 19.1% have elevated serum AST. The current study showed a significant higher proportion of cement workers with reduced FEV1/FVC among those working for ≥ 20 years duration compared to workers with those working for < 20 years duration. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Cement industry; pulmonary function; forced expiratory volume in the first second; forced vital capacity; interleukin | ||||
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