Professional paper

Lung Function in Children Residentially Exposed to Asbestos

Neven Pavlov ; Klinika za dječje bolesti, KBC Split, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Irena Perić ; Klinika za plućne bolesti, KBC Split, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Kornelija Miše ; Odjel za mikrobiologiju i parazitologiju, KBC Split, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Višnja Armada ; Klinika za dječje bolesti, KBC Split, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Ivana Goić-Barišić ; Odjel za mikrobiologiju i parazitologiju, KBC Split, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu
Marin Pavlov ; Interna klinika, Klinička bolnica Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb
Jadranka Tocilj ; Sportski laboratorij Ministarstva znanosti RH Split, Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu, Split

Abstract

Impairment of respiratory function is one of the most sensitive indicators used in the evaluation of the effects of air pollution on human health. We compared predicted values of fl ow-volume curve according to Knudson and the spirometry results in 81 healthy children; 40 girls and 41 boy, aged (10.69±2.24) years.
We also measured the transfer factor of the lungs for carbon monoxide (TLCO) using the single-breath method and compared the results with reference values by Cotes. Patients were selected randomly among pre-school and elementary school children from the Split area, who were residentially exposed to asbestos.
Children with atopic diseases, family history of atopy, history of severe respiratory diseases, and history of smoking were excluded from study.
We found a statistically signifi cant difference in FVC (p<0.0001) from normal values according to Knudson, but when expressed in the percentage of the Knudson values, this difference was not signifi cant (p>0.05).
No statistically signifi cant difference was found for FEV1, FEF75, FEF50, FEF25, and FEV1/FVC. TLCO reached (107.37±20.50) % of normal values according to Cotes, and was not signifi cantly different. At this point, it is hard to predict the consequences of exposure to low levels of asbestos in childhood, because it takes a long time for complications such as neoplasms, pulmonary fi brosis, or respiratory insuffi ciency to develop.

Keywords

fl ow-volume curve; pulmonary diffusion capacity; Knudson; Cotes; FVC; FEV1; FEF75; FEF50; FEF25; FEV1/FVC

Hrčak ID:

42187

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/42187

Publication date:

2.11.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.579 *