PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Micaela Margineanu AU - Felicia Gradinaru AU - Eugenia Danulescu AU - Madalina Ipate TI - Upper airways irritation syndrome (UAIS) and loss of pulmonary function at the workers exposed to cotton dust DP - 2011 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - p4190 VI - 38 IP - Suppl 55 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4190.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4190.full SO - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38 AB - Aim: To specify correlations between UAIS and loss of pulmonary function versus occupational risk, in workers from a small company that processes cotton.Material and methods: We are investigated 45 workers aged 29-63 years and various length of service (more than 10 years) by two cross-sectional surveys at 5 years interval versus a matched-control group; The percentage of smokers was low (9%). A questionnaire was completed, clinical examinations and pulmonary function test (PFT) were performed for each worker.Results: In the 1st exam the UAIS was diagnosed in only 8,8% of the exposed group. PFT has been modified to only one of the exposed workers.In the second stage of the study, UAIS was more frequent, having a prevalence of 44% to exposed group, with these clinical aspects: laryngeal irritation (60%), frequent hoarseness and dry cough (55,5%), nasopharyngeal irritation (47%), sneezing (38%) and allergic diseases (18%). The prevalence of the respiratory symptoms was higher among the exposed subjects (p≤0,005). The pulmonary function test (PFT) put in evidence a distal obstructive syndrome (DOS) in 20% of the exposed workers (versus 3% at control group; p≤0,0002). We found significant increase of obstructive dysfunctions associated with length of service. The mean values of the FEF1.0/FVC report and the PEF values are significantly less at the cotton exposed subjects (in second part of study) versus the controlled ones.Conclusions: This study reports a high prevalence of UAIS and DOS among workers exposed to cotton dust, which correlated with length of service. It requires technical and organizational measures to reduce occupational exposure to respiratory dust.