HW Glindmeyer, JJ Lefante, RN Jones, RJ Rando and H Weill
Department of Medicine, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70112-2699.

In this report of a 5-yr longitudinal study of workers employed at six cotton textile mills, exposure and across-shift FEV1 change were evaluated as possible predictors of the annual change in FEV1 for yarn manufacturing workers. A total of 611 workers had three repeatable spirometric tests, over at least 3 yr, and at least one (average of three) across-shift test, while always working the same shift. The "same shift" criterion controlled for the effect of diurnal variation. Average exposure was determined from measures of lint-free elutriated cotton dust in combination with job histories. This study found a significant association between the acute and chronic effects of cotton dust exposure. Both exposure and across-shift change proved to be significant predictors of annual change, and excess annual declines in FEV1 were predicted even for exposures of 200 micrograms/m3 and across- shift drops in FEV1 of 200 ml. These results suggest that, to prevent dust-related chronic decline in lung function, current smokers should be excluded from yarn manufacturing work and exposures should be reduced below 200 micrograms/m3, to approximately 100 micrograms/m3.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D C Christiani, A J Mehta, and C-L Yu Genetic susceptibility to occupational exposures Occup. Environ. Med., June 1, 2008; 65(6): 430 - 436. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Wang, H.-X. Zhang, B.-X. Sun, H.-L. Dai, J.-Q. Hang, E. Eisen, L. Su, and D. C. Christiani Cross-shift Airway Responses and Long-Term Decline in FEV1 in Cotton Textile Workers Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 1, 2008; 177(3): 316 - 320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Mehta, X. R. Wang, E. A. Eisen, H. L. Dai, G. Astrakianakis, N. Seixas, J. Camp, H. Checkoway, and D. C. Christiani Work Area Measurements as Predictors of Personal Exposure to Endotoxin and Cotton Dust in the Cotton Textile Industry Ann. Hyg., January 1, 2008; 52(1): 45 - 54. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X-R. Wang, H-X. Zhang, B-X. Sun, H-L. Dai, J-Q. Hang, E. A. Eisen, D. H. Wegman, S. A. Olenchock, and D. C. Christiani A 20-year follow-up study on chronic respiratory effects of exposure to cotton dust Eur. Respir. J., November 1, 2005; 26(5): 881 - 886. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Hang, W. Zhou, X. Wang, H. Zhang, B. Sun, H. Dai, L. Su, and D. C. Christiani Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase, Endotoxin, and Lung Function Decline in Cotton Textile Workers Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2005; 171(2): 165 - 170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Brass, J. D. Savov, S. H. Gavett, N. Haykal-Coates, and D. A. Schwartz Subchronic endotoxin inhalation causes persistent airway disease Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, September 1, 2003; 285(3): L755 - L761. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Hnizdo, P. A. Sullivan, K. M. Bang, and G. Wagner Association between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Employment by Industry and Occupation in the US Population: A Study of Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Am. J. Epidemiol., October 15, 2002; 156(8): 738 - 746. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. S. George, H. Jin, C. L. Wohlford-Lenane, M. E. O'Neill, J. C. Phipps, P. O'Shaughnessy, J. N. Kline, P. S. Thorne, and D. A. Schwartz Endotoxin responsiveness and subchronic grain dust-induced airway disease Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, February 1, 2001; 280(2): L203 - L213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. MONSO, R. MAGAROLAS, K. RADON, B. DANUSER, M. IVERSEN, C. WEBER, U. OPRAVIL, K. J. DONHAM, and D. NOWAK Respiratory Symptoms of Obstructive Lung Disease in European Crop Farmers Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 1, 2000; 162(4): 1246 - 1250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Schenker Respiratory Health Hazards in Agriculture Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 1998; 158(2007): S1 - S76. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. FISHWICK, L. M. BRADSHAW, W. D'SOUZA, I. TOWN, R. ARMSTRONG, N. PEARCE, and J. CRANE Chronic Bronchitis, Shortness of Breath, and Airway Obstruction by Occupation in New Zealand Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 1997; 156(5): 1440 - 1446. [Abstract] [Full Text]