Twelve-year longitudinal study of respiratory status in French dairy farmers

¹ Dept of Chest Diseases, University Hospital, Besançon, France
² Dept of Occupational Health, University Hospital, Besançon, France
³ Dept of Biostatistics, University Hospital, Besançon, France
⁴ Mutualité Sociale Agricole of Besançon, France

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jean-charles.dalphin{at}ufc-chu.univ-fcomte.fr.

	Abstract

To evaluate respiratory risk in dairy farmers, a longitudinal study was conducted in the Doubs (France).

From a cohort constituted in 1986 (T1), 157 (62.8%) dairy farmers and 159 (63.6%) controls were re-evaluated in 1998 (T3). The study protocol comprised a medical and occupational questionnaire, spirometric tests at both evaluations and non-invasive measure of blood oxygen saturation (Spo2) at T3.

In 1998, the prevalence of chronic bronchitis was higher in dairy farmers (p<0.025). In cross-sectional analyses, all respiratory function parameters and Spo2 were significantly lower in dairy farmers. In a multiple linear regression model, farming, age, gender (male) and smoking were significantly and negatively correlated with Spo2. However the mean annual decline in respiratory function parameters did not differ significantly between groups. After adjustment on co-variables, accelerated decline in VC and FEV₁ was associated with age (p<0.001), smoking (p<0.01) and male gender (p<0.001). Decline in VC was accelerated in dairy farmers working in traditional farms (p<0.05) and currently foddering (p<0.001).

This study shows that dairy farming is associated with an increase in risk of lung disorders and a decrease in Spo2, and suggests that respiratory function impairment is correlated with cumulated exposure to organic dusts.