Table 1 Descriptive information. Studies are ordered by population type and year of publication
Author & Year [Ref] | Location and period | Population (n=) | Baseline age (years) | Race (%) | Sex (%) | Standardisation of spirometry | Measurement of exposure (main index) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Populations exposed to routine firefighting | |||||||
 Peters et al. 1974 [37] | Boston, USA 1970 to 1972 | Firefighters (1430) | 43.13 | NR | M | Average of best 3 of 5 trials | Interview using structured questionnaire (fires fought in previous 12 months) |
 Musk et al. 1977 [35] | Boston, USA 1970 to 1974 | Firefighters (1146) | 41.9 | NR | Ma | Average of best 3 of 5 trials | Interview using structured questionnaire and BFD records (fires fought in previous 12 months, service time) |
 Musk et al. 1977 [36] | Boston, USA 1970 to 1975 | Retired firefighters (109) | 54.5 | NR | Ma | Average of best 3 of 5 trials | Interview using structured questionnaire (fires fought in 12 month period, service time) |
 Musk et al. 1982 [34] | Boston, USA 1970 to 1976 | Firefighters (951) | 40.9 (9.4) | W | Ma | Mean of best 3 of 5 satisfactory (within 5% of best trial) trials | Interview using structured questionnaire and BFD records (fires fought in previous 12 months) |
 Douglas et al. 1985 [31] | London, England 1976 to 1977 | Firefighters (890) | 25-29b | NR | M | ≥ 5 FVC manoeuvres, mean of the last 3 values used for analysis | Self-report questionnaire (service time, absence from work after exposure) |
 Tepper et al. 1991 [33] | Baltimore, USA 1974–77 to 1983–84 | Firefighters (628) | 38.2 (10) | C (86) | M | ATS 1978 | Estimated from fire department records (years spent in exposed jobs before baseline, number of emergency responses before baseline) and self-report questionnaire (previous exposure to ammonia/chlorine) |
 Kales et al. 1997 [38] | Boston, USA 1992–93 to 1995 | HAZMAT firefighters (37) | 36.8 (5.9) | NR | M | ATS 1979 | NR |
 Burgess et al. 2004 [40] | Phoenix, USA 1988 to 1999 | Firefighters (1204) | 34.6 (8.9) | W (75), H (16), B (6), O (3)c | M (96) F (4) | No info available; retrospective analysis of existing database. | None. Retrospective analysis of existing database. |
 Josyula et al. 2007 [41] | Phoenix, USA 1998 to 2005 | Firefighters (67) | 38.6 (7.8) | W (78), H (10), AA (6), O (6) | M (96) F (4) | ATS 1987 | Self-report questionnaire (not used in analysis) |
 Yucesoy et al. 2008 [42] | Phoenix, USA 1988 to 2003 | Firefighters (374) | M: 31.9 (6.4) F: 29.7 (3.9) | M: NHW (76.4), HW (19.5), AA (4.1). F: NHW (100) | M (97.3) F (2.7) | ATS 1987 | None |
Populations exposed to routine firefighting with non-firefighter controls | |||||||
 Sparrow et al. 1982 [10] | Boston, USA 1963–68 to 1968–1973 | Firefighters (168)d GP controls (1474)d | NR | NR | M | Best 1 of 3 ‘acceptable’ tracings (≥4 s with maximal effort) | Self-report questionnaire (service time) |
 Horsfield et al. 1988 [32] | West Sussex, England NR | Firefighters (96) GP controls (69) | 32.5 [Range 18–54]e 39.5 [Range 16–63] | NR | M | NR | None |
 Hnizdo 2012 [43] | Phoenix, USA 1989 to 2000 | Firefighters (965) Paper-pulp mill workers (1286) Construction workers (460) | 36.3 (9.3) 36.4 (8.4) 35.4 (8.8) | NR | M | ATS 1994 | None. Retrospective analysis of existing database. |
 Aldrich et al. 2013 [9] | New York, USA 2003–06 to 2011 | Firefighters (940) EMS controls (97) | 26.1 (3.3) 27.6 (7.0) | B (6), W (94) B (52), W (48) | M | ≥ 3 acceptable efforts with standardised criteria | None |
 Schermer et al. 2013 [8] | Adelaide, Australia 2000–08 to 2003–2011 | Firefighters (254) GP controls (678) | 43.5 (8.0) 43.4 (9.8) | C (99.6) C (95.5) | M | Firefighters: ATS/ERS 2005 Controls: ATS 1987 | Self-report questionnaire (use of respiratory protection) |
 Choi et al. 2014 [30] | Daegu, Korea 2008 to 2011 | Firefighters (322) Non-firefighter controls (107) | 43.6 (6.9) 44.1 (10.1) | NR | NR | ≥ 3 acceptable efforts with standardised criteria | Interview by physician using structured questionnaire (active/inactive firefighting status) |
Populations exposed to non-routine firefighting | |||||||
 Unger et al. 1980 [39] | Houston, USA 1987 to 1989 | Firefighters exposed to major chemical warehouse fire (20) | 27.2 (5.36)f | B, W | M | Best of 3 trials | Self-report questionnaire at 6-week follow-up |
 Banauch et al. 2006 [44] | New York, USA 1997 to 2002 | 9/11-exposed FDNY firefighters & EMS workers (11766) | 39.7 (7.7)g | W (85.6) | M (95.6), F (3.4) | ATS 1994 | Self-reported arrival time at WTC site |
 Aldrich et al. 2010 [45] | New York, USA NR to 2008 | 9/11-exposed firefighters (10870) 9/11-exposed EMS workers (1911) | 40.8 [CI, 40.6–40.9)g 37.1 [CI, 36.7–37.5]g | W (94), B (2.5) W (49.7), B (22.2) | M (99.8), F (0.2) M (75.6), F (24.4) | ATS/ERS 2005 | Self-reported arrival time at WTC site |
 Banauch et al. 2010 [48] | New York, USA 2001 to 2005 | 9/11-exposed firefighters (90) | 40.7 (7.1)g | W (86) | M (98), F (2) | ATS/ERS 2005 | Self-reported arrival time at WTC site |
 Aldrich et al. 2016 [46] | New York, USA 2000 to 2014 | 9/11-exposed firefighters (10641) | 41.4 [Range 21.3–74.6]g | W (97.4), AA (2.6) | M (99.8), F (0.2) | ATS/ERS 2005 | Self-reported arrival time at WTC site |
 Aldrich et al. 2016 [47] | New York, USA 2000 to 2014 | 9/11-exposed firefighters (173) | 42.6 (7)g | W (95.4), AA (4.6) | M | NR | Self-reported arrival time at WTC site |