TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study
AU - Ratanachina, Jate
AU - Amaral, Andre F S
AU - De Matteis, Sara
AU - Lawin, Herve
AU - Mortimer, Kevin
AU - Obaseki, Daniel O
AU - Harrabi, Imed
AU - Denguezli, Meriam
AU - Wouters, Emiel F M
AU - Janson, Christer
AU - Nielsen, Rune
AU - Gulsvik, Amund
AU - Hacene Cherkaski, Hamid
AU - Mejza, Filip
AU - Padukudru Anand, Mahesh
AU - Elsony, Asma
AU - Ahmed, Rana
AU - Tan, Wan
AU - Li Cher, Loh
AU - Rashid, Abdul
AU - Studnicka, Michael
AU - Nafees, Asaad A
AU - Seemungal, Terence
AU - Aquart-Stewart, Althea
AU - Al Ghobain, Mohammed
AU - Zheng, Jinping
AU - Juvekar, Sanjay
AU - Salvi, Sundeep
AU - Jogi, Rain
AU - Mannino, David
AU - Gislason, Thorarinn
AU - Buist, A Sonia
AU - Cullinan, Paul
AU - Burney, Peter
AU - BOLD Collaborative Research Group
N1 - Copyright ©The authors 2022.
PY - 2023/1/1
Y1 - 2023/1/1
N2 - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. We analysed cross-sectional data from 28,823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. Eleven occupations were considered and grouped by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, FEV1/FVC and FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income (GNI). Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR=1.52, 95%CI 1.19-1.94), wheeze (OR=1.37, 95%CI 1.16-1.63), and dyspnoea (OR=1.83, 95%CI 1.53-2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02L, 95%CI -0.02L to 0.06L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95%CI -0.49% to 0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and GNI. In summary, at a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they associate with more respiratory symptoms. As not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
AB - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. We analysed cross-sectional data from 28,823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. Eleven occupations were considered and grouped by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, FEV1/FVC and FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income (GNI). Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR=1.52, 95%CI 1.19-1.94), wheeze (OR=1.37, 95%CI 1.16-1.63), and dyspnoea (OR=1.83, 95%CI 1.53-2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02L, 95%CI -0.02L to 0.06L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95%CI -0.49% to 0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and GNI. In summary, at a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they associate with more respiratory symptoms. As not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
U2 - 10.1183/13993003.00469-2022
DO - 10.1183/13993003.00469-2022
M3 - Article
C2 - 36028253
SN - 0903-1936
VL - 61
JO - European Respiratory Journal
JF - European Respiratory Journal
IS - 1
M1 - 2200469
ER -