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Change in airway responsiveness over a workweek in organic waste loaders

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Abstract

Objective

Organic waste workers are exposed to high endotoxin levels that may result in respiratory health effects. This study describes changes in lung function and methacholine airway responsiveness over a workweek in household organic waste loaders.

Methods

Assessment of lung function and methacholine airway responsiveness before and after a workweek in six organic waste loaders with and ten loaders without regular respiratory symptoms. Methacholine responsiveness was expressed as dose–response slope, i.e. % fall in FEV1 per mg methacholine compared to either the post-saline value (DRSsal), or the highest FEV1 (DRSmax).

Results

Monday morning, FEV1 was similar in cases and controls. Over the workweek, FEV1 and MMEF decreased slightly in both cases and controls (P > 0.10). In contrast, DRS increased in cases and decreased in control subjects (P < 0.10). The difference in % change of DRS was statistically significant after adjustment for smoking and age.

Conclusion

Our results suggest exaggeration of pre-existent airway inflammation during the workweek in organic waste loaders with regular respiratory symptoms. This needs confirmation in larger studies.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Isabella Oosting-van Schothorst for the technical assistance during the fieldwork. Financial support for this study was obtained from the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs & Employability, The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and the European Commission (BMH4-CT96-105).

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Correspondence to Gea de Meer.

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de Meer, G., Heederik, D. & Wouters, I.M. Change in airway responsiveness over a workweek in organic waste loaders. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 80, 649–652 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0166-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0166-8

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