TY - JOUR T1 - Prevalence and factors associated with COPD in dairy farmers JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P4360 AU - Alexia Marescaux AU - Isabelle Thaon AU - Jean-Jacques Laplante AU - Bruno Degano AU - Jean-Charles Dalphin Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4360.abstract N2 - Several studies have suggested an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among dairy farmers despite a lower prevalence of smoking compared with general populations. The prevalence of COPD among farmers, and the occupational factors associated with COPD are however unknown.We therefore retrospectively analyzed results of spirometry (forced vital capacity [FVC], and forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1]), occupational and medical questionnaires in 3 cohorts of dairy farmers. All studied subjects (n=590) were males without asthma and/or hypersensitivity pneumonia.Criteria of COPD (i.e., a FEV1/FVC] ratio < 70%) were found in 12% of all subjects (69/590, including 38 patients in GOLD stage 1 and 28 in stage 2). Symptoms of chronic bronchitis and wheezing were more frequent in patients with COPD (15.9 vs. 7.9%, p=0.03 and 30.3% vs. 10.6%, p<0.0001, respectively). On multivariate analysis, the three independent factors associated with COPD were an older age (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.04 [1.02-1.07]), tobacco smoking (2,83 [1.29-6.19]) and low modernity of farms (2.89 [1.48-5.63]). Moreover, the association between tobacco smoking and working in traditional farms seemed to be synergistically linked with COPD in this population.The finding that an occupational factor (i.e., working in traditional farms) is independently associated with COPD in dairy farmers suggests that prospective studies should be conducted in this population in order (1) to identify etiologic factors of COPD and (2) to characterize the COPD patients in terms of distension, exercise capacity and cardiovascular comorbidities. ER -