A Study of Pulmonary Function Among the Workers Exposed to Organic Solvents in Synthetic Resin Manufacturing Processes

摘要

This study was initiated to assess the pulmonary function of workers engaged in synthetic resin manufacturing industry where principal exposure is from organic solvent. A cross sectional study was conducted including workers exposed to organic solvents in synthetic resin manufacturing processes principal exposure is from formalin. All the workers selected for this study were subjected to an interview (with a predesigned questionnaire to collect occupational and medical history), clinical examination and pulmonary function test. On univariate analysis, it seemed that age and exposure duration had significant effects on pulmonary function, however, multivariate analysis showed that after adjusting for the effects of other factors (age, height), job duration had no significant effect. Smoking showed effects on respiratory function. Finding of a statistically significant declining trend with increasing experience of job in all the relevant parameters (univariate analysis) indicated that a future follow up of this cohort may prove significant effect of exposure on pulmonary function. Workers exposed to solvents should be kept under proper vigilance and spirometry should be mandatorily included in the periodic medical examination for such exposed workers for early detection of respiratory disorders.