Table 2.
Lung function stratified by exposure group
| Reference (n = 123) | Welders (n = 114) | Solvents (n = 106) | Minerals dust (n = 107) | Organic dust (n = 97) | overall p | |
| FVC (%) Mean (SD) | 103.9 3 (12.3) | 99.5 1 (12.3) | 97.8 1,2 (12.9) | 101.5 2,3 (13) | 102.5 2,3 (12) | 0.03 |
| FEV1 (%) Mean (SD) | 102.7 3 (12.4) | 98.3 1,2 (12.9) | 96.2 1 (13.4) | 101.1 2,3 (12) | 101.8 2,3 (13.8) | 0.01 |
| FEV1/FVC (%) Mean (SD) | 82.1 (6.0) | 82.2 (6.2) | 81.8 (7.3) | 82.5 (5.8) | 81.7 (6.8) | NS |
| PEF (%) Mean (SD) | 92.5 3 (15.6) | 87.1 2 (14.8) | 81.8 1 (15.5) | 88.5 2,3 (15.5) | 90.6 2,3 (17) | <0.0001 |
| MEF25 (%) Mean (SD) | 89.7 2 (19.5) | 84.3 1,2 (18) | 80.8 1 (19.2) | 86.6 2 (18.4) | 88.4 2 (21.9) | <0.0001 |
| MEF50 (%) Mean (SD) | 85.9 (22.2) | 81.5 (23.4) | 79.3 (23.9) | 82.9 (22.2) | 85.1 (24.6) | NS |
| MEF75 (%) Mean (SD) | 74.2 (21.6) | 72.2 (20.8) | 70.3 (24.6) | 74.5 (20.1) | 74.2 (23.1) | NS |
| MMEF (%) Mean (SD) | 79 2 (21.2) | 74.9 1,2 (22.8) | 72 1 (22.7) | 76.4 1,2 (19.5) | 77.8 1,2 (23) | 0.16 |
| PD20 Number (%) | 4 (3)1 | 6 (5)1,2 | 11 (11)2 | 6 (6)1,2 | 4 (4)1,2 | NS |
FVC (Forced Vital Capacity), FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second), PEF (Peak Expiratory Flow), MEF (Maximal Expiratory Flow at given percentage of FVC), MMEF (Maximal Mid-Expiratory Flow), all expressed as percent predicted (according to Quanjer et al. [15]), except for FEV1/FVC where real percentage is given (ratio × 100). PD20: number of subjects with a measurable PD20 (provocative dose of histamine leading to a 20% decrease in FEV1 with respect to the starting value) in the histamine test (n values of group lower by one in each group except in welders).
1,2,3: groups with the same number in exponent do not differ significantly