A 2-year follow-up of spirometric parameters in workers of a tile and ceramic industry, Yazd, southeastern Iran.

BACKGROUND Respiratory diseases cause a considerable amount of morbidity and mortality in the world. Pulmonary function tests are important measures for the diagnosis and management of respiratory disorders. Workers in tile and ceramic industry are exposed to high amounts of respiratory pollutants. OBJECTIVE To identify the changes in spirometric parameters in a 2-year period among tile and ceramic workers in Yazd and compare it with a control group. METHODS The study was conducted in 5 tile and ceramic factories selected by cluster sampling between 2009 and 2011 in Yazd, southeastern Iran. Demographic data and spirometric parameters of participants were recorded. RESULTS Spirometric parameters were significantly reduced during the 2 years. The largest decrease was observed in FVC (≈500 mL) in ball-mill and grinding after 2 years. Decrease in all spirometric parameters was significantly higher in industrial workers than office workers. CONCLUSION Respiratory exposure in tile and ceramic industry can significantly affect pulmonary function tests.