Authors
Beeckman-LF; Wang-ML; Petsonk-EL; Wagner-GR
Source
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001 Mar; 163(3):633-639
Abstract
Coal mine dust exposure is associated with accelerated loss of lung function Weassesed long-term health outcomes in two groups of underground coal miners who during previous mine surveys had shown either high rates of FEV, decline(cases, n = 310) or relatively stable lung function(referents, n = 324). Cases and referents were matched initially for age, height, smoking status, and FEV1. We determined vital status for 561 miners, and obtained a follow-up questionaire for 121 cases and 143 referents. Responses on the last previous mine health survey questionaire. Cases showed a greater incidence of symptoms than did refernts for cough, phlegm production, Grades 2 and 3 dyspnea, and wheezing, and greater incidenses than referents of chronic bronchitis and self reported asthma and emphysema. More cases than referents(15% versus 4%) left mining before retirment because of chest illnesses. After controls were applied for age and smoking, cases had twice the risk of dying of cardiovascular and nonmalignant respiratory diseases and a 3.2-fold greater risk of dying of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than did referents. Rapid declines in FEV, experienced by some coal miners are associated with subsequent increases in respirotory sympotoms, illnesses, and mortality from cardiovascular and nonmalignant respiratory diseases.
Keywords
Respiration; Coal-mining; Coal-workers; Respiratory-system-disorders; Coal-dust; Mortality-data; Mortality-rates; Dust-exposure; Lung-function; Cardiovascular-system-disorders; Risk-factors; Questionnaires
Contact
Lu-Ann F. Beeckman, Ph.D., NIOSH, 1095 Willowdale Road, M/S 2800.4, Morgantown, WV 26505-2888
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
LBeebkman@cdc.gov
Source Name
American Review of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine