Abstract
We determined the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function and urinary metals among artisanal stone-crushers.
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 48 male artisanal stone-crushers and 50 male taxi-drivers using a standardised questionnaire and spirometry. Concentrations of trace metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in urine spot samples.
Mean (±SD) age was 34±9 years. Wheezing was more prevalent among stone-crushers (22.9%) than among taxi-drivers (6.0%, p˂0.0021), but stone crushers had higher percent predicted FEV1 (104±4 vs 89±4, p=0.019) and MEF25 (88.0±9 vs 56±9, p=0.021) than taxi-drivers. Overall, young age was inversely associated with wheezing (aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.67-0.88), cough (aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.97) and shortness of breath (aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.94); dry season was associated with runny nose (aOR 8.71 95% CI 2.32-31.32) and sneezing (aOR 8.60, 95% CI 2.33-31.74). Consumption of local well water was associated with wheezing (aOR 6.62 95% CI 1.44-30.34) and sneezing (aOR 4.06, 95% CI 1.18-14.23). The job of stone-crusher was inversely associated with itchy eyes (aOR 0.11, 95% CI 0.015-0.92) and runny nose (aOR 0.17, 95% CI 0.03-0.89). Participants exhibited higher urinary levels of trace metals than reference values from industrially developed countries. Urinary Co, Ni, As, Se and U were higher in stone-crushers than in taxi-drivers.
Although stone-crushers were more heavily exposed to mineral dust than taxi-drivers, as evidenced from their higher urinary concentrations of dust-related trace metals, they did not appear to have more respiratory impairment than taxi-drivers.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA2823.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2019