PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alexander Tungu
AU  - Magne Bråtveit
AU  - Bente Moen
TI  - Cement dust exposure, respiratory symptoms and exhaled nitric oxide: A cross-sectional study
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p1061
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1061.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1061.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Background: Cement dust is associated with chronic respiratory symptoms, but only few studies have attempted to investigate the mechanisms involved in airway inflammation.Aim: To explore whether cement dust exposure is associated with increase in chronic respiratory symptoms and FeNO concentration among cement factory workers in Tanzania.Methods: The exposed group comprised 171 cement production workers while 98 workers from a beverage factory served as controls. Personal total dust samples were collected from the breathing zone of workers in the cement factory (n=130) and the beverage factory (n=16). The information on chronic respiratory symptoms was collected by a questionnaire, and FeNO concentrations were measured by a NIOX MINO monitor among 117 exposed and 24 controls.Results: Geometric means of total dust exposure among control and exposed workers were 0.6 mg/m3 and 5.0 mg/m3, respectively (p<0.001). The exposed workers and controls had similar age and smoking habits. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was higher among exposed compared to controls; Wheezing (18% vs. 15.3%) Work related shortness of breath (15.8% vs. 6.1%), dyspnoea (13.5% vs.9.2%), chronic sputum production (8.4 vs.1%) and chronic cough (6.4% vs. 1.0%).Exposed workers had higher mean FeNO concentrations (26.0 ppm) than controls (20.0 ppm), but the difference was not significant.Conclusion: Higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and FeNO concentrations among exposed workers indicate an association between cement dust and airway inflammation.