298 MALE WORKERS, IN Zagazig spinning and weaving mill, were examined. Out of them 148 were exposed and 150 showed as a control group. The study revealed that the prevalence of asthma, cough, phlegm, chest wheezing, chest tightness and dyspnea among the exposed workers was 6.1%, 56.1%, 46.6, 38.5%, 23.6% & 26.4% corresponding to 0%, 35.3%, 24.7%, 18.7%, 8% and 9.3% in the control group. The prevalence of occupational asthma was higher among 50-60 years old workers and also increased with the duration of exposure. Ventilatory pulmonary functions showed a significantly higher prevalence of abnormal lung function values FEVI, FVC and FEVR FVC in exposed workers compared with controls intergroup comparison of smoking and non-smoking exposed workers revealed non-significant difference except in the value of FEVUFVC % . Total blood eosinophil count showed that all asthmatic cases had significant increase in blood eosinophil count (428.9 + 77.21 mun2, blood) compared to normal count in non-asthmatic subjects (126.2 + 21.81 mm2). |
