Asiye KANBAY, Nuri TUTAR, Hakan BÜYÜKOĞLAN, Fatma Sema OYMAK, İnci GÜLMEZ, Ramazan DEMİR

The prevalence of occupational asthma among denim bleachery workers in Kayseri

Kot ağartma işlemi, kot kumlama işleminin silikozise neden olduğunun saptanmasından sonra kotu beyazlatmak için kullanılan en sık yöntemdir. Bu çalışmanın amacı; Kayseri ilinde kot ağartma işinde çalışan işçilerde mesleki astım prevalansını saptamaktır. Çalışma Aralık 2008-Şubat 2009 tarihleri arasında Kayseri ilinde kot ağartma işleminin yapıldığı dört fabrikada yapıldı. Çalışmaya ağartma bölümünde çalışan 21, diğer bölümlerde çalışan 22 işçi alındı. Katılımcılara solunumsal semptomları da içeren bir anket uygulandı. Solunum fonksiyon testi (SFT) ve tepe akım hızı (PEF) takibi yapıldı. Tüm katılımcılara posteroanterior akciğer grafisi çekildi. Mesleki astım prevalansı ağartma işinde çalışanlarda %23.8, diğer bölüm işçilerinde ise %9.1 olarak bulundu (p> 0.05). İşçilerde en sık saptanan semptomlar egzersizde nefes darlığı (%23.3) ve hışıltılı solunum (%20.9) idi. Kot ağartma işinde çalışma süresi ile SFT arasında ilişki olup olmadığı kot ağartma işçilerinde (n= 21) incelendiğinde $FEV _1 ve FEF _{25-75}$ ile orta derecede (sırasıyla r= -0.477, -0.449); $FEV _1$% ve $FEV _1$/FVC ile iyi derecede (sırasıyla r= -0.588, -0.509), ters yönde ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ilişki saptandı (p< 0.05). Sonuç olarak; kot ağartma ajanlarına maruz kalma solunumsal semptomların ortaya çıkmasında, solunum fonksiyonlarının azalmasında ve mesleki astım oluşumunda önemli rol oynamaktadır.

Kayseri ilinde kot ağartma işinde çalışan işçilerde mesleki astım prevalansı

The bleachery procedure is the most frequent method used to decolorize denims since sandblasting has been shown to cause silicosis. The aim of this study was to determined the prevalence of occupational asthma among denim bleachery workers in Kayseri. The study was conducted in 4 factories, in which jean bleachery was performed, in Kayseri between December 2008 and February 2009. Overall, forty-four subjects, 22 from the bleachery section and 22 from the other sections, were included. A questionnaire about respiratory symptoms was administered. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and serial peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements were performed. All subjects were evaluated by posteroanterior chest xrays. The prevalence of occupational asthma (OA) in the bleachery and other section workers was 23.8% and 9.1%, respectively (p> 0.05). Within workers, exercise dyspnea (23.3%) and wheezing (20.9%) were the most frequent symptoms. The relationship between the duration of employment and PFTs in bleachery workers (n= 21) was negatively correlated and statistically significant with $FEV _1, FEF _{25-75}$ (moderate; r= -0.477, -0.449, respectively; p< 0.05) and $FEV _1$/FVC, $FEV _1$% (well; r= -0.588, -0.509, respectively; p< 0.05). The results of the present study suggest that exposure to denim-bleaching agents plays an important role in the occurrence of respiratory symptoms, reduction in pulmonary functions, and induction of occupational asthma.

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