TABLE 1.
Comparison of subjects with and without airflow obstruction
| Variable | Obstructed, % (n=186) | Not obstructed, % (n=2633) | OR (95% CI) | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 53.2 | 54.0 | 0.97 (0.72 to 1.31) | 0.844 |
| Age, years | ||||
| 20–24 | 12.9 | 15.5 | 1.00 | 0.267 |
| 25–29 | 21.5 | 19.1 | 1.35 (0.80 to 2.27) | |
| 30–34 | 26.3 | 22.7 | 1.39 (0.84 to 2.30) | |
| 35–39 | 16.7 | 22.3 | 0.89 (0.52 to 1.55) | |
| 40–44 | 22.6 | 20.4 | 1.33 (0.79 to 2.23) | |
| Born in Canada | 86.6 | 84.7 | 1.16 (0.75 to 1.79) | 0.502 |
| Occupation | ||||
| Administration | 9.7 | 10.0 | 1.00 | 0.097 |
| Arts or science | 27.4 | 27.1 | 1.02 (0.57 to 1.81) | |
| Natural resources | 2.1 | 3.1 | 0.70 (0.23 to 2.14) | |
| Machinery | 24.7 | 16.4 | 1.56 (0.88 to 2.74) | |
| Clerical or sales | 31.2 | 35.6 | 0.90 (0.52 to 1.56) | |
| Student | 4.8 | 7.7 | 0.64 (0.28 to 1.46) | |
| Homemaker | 6.4 | 5.8 | 1.15 (0.54 to 2.46) | |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | ||||
| <23 | 34.1 | 32.0 | 1.00 | 0.092 |
| 23–27 | 42.2 | 36.8 | 1.08 (0.76 to 1.52) | |
| >27 | 23.4 | 31.3 | 0.71 (0.48 to 1.06) | |
| Smoking | ||||
| Never | 29.0 | 46.5 | 1.00 | <0.001 |
| Current | 41.9 | 25.1 | 2.67 (1.87 to 3.83) | |
| Past | 29.0 | 28.4 | 1.63 (1.11 to 2.41) | |
| Exposure to tobacco in the past 12 months (never smokers) | 24.1 | 33.4 | 0.63 (0.33 to 1.19) | 0.152 |
| Exposure to dust | 53.2 | 44.6 | 1.41 (1.05 to 1.90) | 0.023 |
| Exposure to gases, fumes or chemicals | 41.9 | 33.9 | 1.41 (1.04 to 1.90) | 0.026 |
| Changed job because breathing was affected | 7.0 | 4.0 | 1.81 (1.00 to 3.28) | 0.048 |
Data are presented as percentages of the total except for exposure to tobacco in the last 12 months, in which the number of obstructed never smokers is 54 and of not obstructed subjects is 1223. Airflow obstruction is defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity less than the lower limit of normality (11)