Authors : Meghshyam Sharma, Raghav Nepalia
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijcap.2020.035
Volume : 7
Issue : 2
Year : 2020
Page No : 173-176
Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the respiratory symptoms and pulmonary functions
of dust-exposed street sweepers with those of unexposed individuals.
Materials and Methods: This Cross Sectional Study was done in the Department of Physiology, RNT
Medical College, Udaipur. 84 individuals were selected via simple random sampling. These sweepers
worked 8 h each day, 6 days a week, without using respiratory protective equipment. In addition to the
exposure group, 80 employees with no occupational exposure to respiratory pollutants were randomly
chosen from the office workers in the municipality as the control group. Participants underwent detailed
direct interview, providing information of chronic respiratory symptoms, cigarette smoking, exercise
history & occupational exposure along with complete physical examination.
Results and Conclusion: non-smoker Street cleaners and non-smoker Control subjects are similar in
Anthropometric terms like Age, Height and Weight. While there is statistically significant decrease in
PEFR, FEV1 and FEF 25%-75% with FVC not decreased significantly among these groups. It means
that non-smoker Street cleaners who were working for more than five years had developed Obstructive
pattern(FEV1/ FVC ratio <80>
Control subjects are similar in term of Age, Height and Weight. There is significant decrease in FEV1
and FEF 25%-75% while FVC is not changed significantly among these two groups. It means that smoker
Street cleaners who were working for more than last five years had also developed Obstructive pattern
(FEV1/ FVC ratio <80>
In conclusion, it may be said that exposure to dust in sweepers has an immediate irritating effect on the
respiratory tract, leading to some degree of lung function impairment.
Keywords: Pulmonary function, Smoking, Spirometric test, Pulmonary function tests.