Low Pulmonary Function in Petrol Pump Workers in Trivandrum City

Background : Petrol pump employees are constantly exposed to petroleum vapours and vehicular exhaust. This causes various health problems, particularly in the lungs. Although studies have been conducted in other parts of the country on lung function in petrol pump workers, none have been published from Kerala. This study aims at determining whether these workers in Kerala have any abnormality in pulmonary function. Objective : To determine whether the pulmonary function (as measured by Forced Expiratory Volume in 6 seconds (FEV6)% predicted, Forced expiratory volume in first second(FEV1)-%predicted and ratio of FEV1 to FEV6 (FEV1 / FEV6 ratio)) is different in petrol pump workers as compared to age-sex matched controls in Trivandrum. Method : Cross sectional study. Study population consisted of 30 petrol pump workers who have been working for more than one year and 30 age-sex matched individuals from various residential areas in Trivandrum. Height, weight, smoking index, history of asthma were recorded. The parameters, FEV6%-predicted, FEV1%-predicted and the FEV1/FEV6 ratio were assessed using a handheld spirometer. The study was conducted from July to October 2013. Result : Petrol pump workers and controls selected from general population were comparable for height, weight, smoking index and history of asthma. The median values (with inter quartile range) of FEV6%-predicted in petrol pump workers and general population were 77.5(67-87) and 87(82-91) respectively; of FEV1%-predicted were 78 (66-88) and 86 (78.6-89.7) respectively and FEV1/FEV6% were 82.5 (80-87) and 82.5(79-86) respectively. The difference in the median FEV1%-predicted and FEV6%-predicted between petrol pump workers and general population were statistically significant. Proportion of Petrol pump workers with FEV1%-predicted and FEV6%-predicted below 80% and FEV1/FEV6% below 70% were higher and the difference in proportions was statistically significant. Conclusion : Petrol pump workers have a lower lung function in terms of FEV1%-predicted and FEV6%-predicted. The FEV1/FEV6 ratio was not statistically significantly different between petrol pump workers and general population even though the proportion with a FEV1/FEV6 ratio less than 70% was significantly higher in petrol pump workers.