RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Across-shift decrease in fractional exhaled nitric oxide among Tanzanian cement production workers
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P1016
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Alexander Tungu
A1 Magne Bråtveit
A1 Simon Mamuya
A1 Bente Moen
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P1016.abstract
AB BackgroundThere is limited information on fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), a marker of respiratory inflammation, among cement production workers.AimTo explore possible across-shift changes in FENO over an 8h shift among dust exposed cement production workers in Tanzania.MethodsWe examined 48 cement production workers (exposed) and 27 workers from a mineral water factory (controls), all non-smokers. Pre-shift and post shift FENO measurements (parts per billion, ppb) were performed using a NIOX MINO machine, for 2 day shifts among controls and 3 day shifts among exposed. Full shift personal total dust samples were collected in participants' breathing zone.ResultsBaseline geometric mean (GM) of FENO for the respective days of examination were 20.4 ppb, 20 ppb and 19.1 ppb among exposed, and 16.3 ppb and 16.2 ppb among controls. There was a significant across shift decrease in FENO for the three days of examination among the exposed (2.9 ppb, 2.4 ppb and 3.4 ppb, respectively, paired t-test, p<0.05), while the decrease was not significant among controls (1.4 ppb and (0.2 ppb). The change in across shift FENO was not significantly different between exposed and controls. The GM for total dust exposure among exposed was 9.4 mg/m3 and 0.28 mg/m3 among controls. There was no correlation between the across shift FENO change and total dust exposure.ConclusionThe across-shift FENO decrease in cement production workers was not significantly associated with occupational dust exposure, and the reason for this change should be determined in future studies.