Occupational exposures to gases, dust, fumes linked to reduced lung function

Researchers observed a decline in lung function, measured by FEV₁, among those who were exposed to gases, dusts, fumes and aromatic solvents at work, according to a study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

Sheikh M. Alif

“The findings from this meta-analysis are a bit surprising as, to date, researchers have established links between workplace exposures to health outcomes, such as COPD, but very small pieces of work looked at lung function, which is thought to be more associated with aging,” Sheikh M. Alif, BDS, PhD research fellow and epidemiologist from School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, told Healio.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, Alif and colleagues used Ovid Medline, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science to identify 12 longitudinal population-based studies that assessed occupational exposures and lung function published up until September 2021. The researchers aimed to understand how workplace ever and cumulative duration of exposures were related to a decline in lung function.

Annual loss of pre-bronchodilator or post-bronchodilator FEV₁, FVC or the ratio of FEV₁/FVC served as the study’s primary endpoint.

In order to determine pooled estimates for both ever and cumulative occupational exposures, researchers performed fixed and random-effects meta-analyses.

Of the studies included, sample sizes ranged from 237 to 17,833, and the study time periods ranged from 4.5 years to 25 years. The mean age of participants ranged from 33.9 to 60.6 years.

Through meta-analyses, researchers found that ever and cumulative exposures to gases/fumes; vapors, gases, dusts, fumes (VGDF); and aromatic solvents were all significantly related to a decline in FEV₁.

Specifically, in fixed-effect models based on ever exposure, researchers observed yearly FEV₁ declines of 2.23 mL for gases/fumes, 1.77 mL for VGDF, 6.16 mL for aromatic solvents, 1.42 mL for biological dust, and 3.11 mL for fungicides.

Meta-analysis showed similar effects for cumulative duration of exposure, including 0.03 mL per intensity-year (95% CI, 0.06 to 0) for gases/fumes, 0.02 mL per intensity-year (95% CI, 0.04 to 0) for VGDF, 0.6 mL per intensity-year (95% CI, 0.92 to 0.27) for aromatic solvents, 0.02 mL per intensity-year (95% CI, 0.04 to 0) for biological dust, 0.03 mL per intensity-year (95% CI, 0.05 to 0.01) for fungicides and 0.03 mL per intensity-year (95% CI, 0.05 to 0.01) for insecticides.

In the pooled meta-analysis, researchers did not find a statistically significant relationship between exposure to mineral dust, herbicides and metals and a decline in FEV₁.

“Clinicians will need to consider the workplace and tasks performed as risk factors while treating patients. In addition, the gradual decline of FEV₁ and FVC may worsen the existing lung diseases, and untreated patients may develop obstructive airway disease in their later life,” Alif told Healio.

“Future population-based studies need to consider long-term follow-up of the general population rather than focusing on the specific industry,” Alif added.

For more information:

Sheikh M. Alif can be reached at sheikh.alif@monash.edu.

Reference:

Workplace exposure to gases, dusts, fumes, solvents linked to waning lung capacity. https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/workplace-exposure-to-gases-dusts-fumes-solvents-linked-to-waning-lung-capacity/. Published Oct. 24, 2022. Accessed Oct. 25, 2022.