Lung Function Among Low- and High-Exposure Workers in Small-Scale Wood Industries in Tanzania.

Objective: Exposure to wood dust can cause a variety of lung problems, including chronic airflow obstruction. The aim of this study is to evaluate lung function and its determinants among workers exposed to wood dust in small-scale wood industries in Tanzania.
Methods: We measured forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), the ratio of FVC to FEV1, Maximum Mid Expiratory Flow (MMEF) and flow volume parameters (Maximum Expiratory Flow) (MEF25%, MEF50%, MEF75%) respectively, in 40 high-exposure workers and 87 low-exposure workers to wood dust.
Results: The mean FVC for high- and low-exposure workers were 3.7 L and 3.9 L, respectively. We found no significant differences in mean FEV1 in high-exposure workers compared with low-exposure workers after adjustment for age and standing height (2.9 L/s and 3.2 L/s), respectively. Smoking was found an important factor-affecting decline in FEV1, MMEF, MEF 25-75%.
Conclusion: Wood dust exposure is not clearly associated with reductions in lung function in this population.

Keywords
Lung function, respiratory health, small-scale wood industries, Tanzania