Lung function reduction and chronic respiratory symptoms among workers in the cement industry: a follow up study

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Table 5 Mean baseline values and mean changes in lung function during the follow-up period stratified by the presence of chronic respiratory symptoms.

Lung function	Baseline values	Changes	p*	Baseline values	Changes	p*
Indices	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)		Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Cleaners
	With morning cough n = 28			Without morning cough n = 10
FEV₁ (L/min)	3.49(0.73)	-0.12(0.19)	0.003	3.37(0.46)	-0.047(0.15)	0.344
FVC (L)	4.05(0.73)	-0.034(0.34)	0.603	4.05(0.59)	-0.049(0.19)	0.450
FEV₁/FVC	85.76(6.56)	-2.18(3.79)	0.005	83.59(5.65)	-0.34(1.38)	0.458
	With shortness of breath n = 27			Without shortness of breath n = 11
FEV₁	3.53(0.71)	-0.08(0.16)	0.016	3.27(0.55)	-0.14(0.22)	0.056
FVC	4.09(0.70)	-0.04(0.21)	0.292	3.94(0.67)	-0.02(0.48)	0.879
FEV₁/FVC	85.92(5.73)	-1.13(1.79)	0.003	83.4(7.61)	-3.08(5.64)	0.100
Production workers
	With morning cough n = 13			Without morning cough n = 20
FEV₁	3.21(0.46)	-0.013(0.25)	0.848	3.24(0.61)	-0.023(0.25)	0.722
FVC	3.88(0.47)	-0.063(0.31)	0.490	3.78(0.65)	-0.004(0.29)	0.946
FEV₁/FVC	83.18(5.13)	0.39(2.26)	0.544	84.82(6.49)	-0.25(4.88)	0.381
	With shortness of breath n = 15			Without shortness of breath n = 18
FEV₁	3.36(0.55)	-0.09(0.23)	0.155	3.12(0.55)	-0.093(0.28)	0.184
FVC	3.84(0.50)	-0.016(0.17)	0.734	3.80(0.65)	-0.037(0.37)	0.682
FEV₁/FVC	85.95(5.04)	-0.913(2.88)	0.240	82.69(6.4)	-2.55(5.31)	0.057

ISSN: 1471-2466