Pulmonary function in Sardinian fire fighters

Abstract

Our study examined the respiratory function of 92 firemen whose main activity is fire fighting in forests and open country. Such fire fighting activities are to be considered a risk to the respiratory tract, taking into account studies already in the literature that have evaluated the nature and quantity of inhalable toxins present in activities of this kind. The control group was composed of 51 Carabinieri (policemen), who were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their work activities. Forced expiratory volume and flow, total lung capacity, respiratory volume, and the permeability of the alveolar-capillary barrier were measured. Firemen and Carabinieri (policemen) showed FVC rates higher than the European Community for Coal and Steel standards. The firemen showed a significant reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) [3.90 (0.50) vs. 4.04 (0.44); p < 0.05] and forced expiratory flow at 75% of forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEF75) [8.37 (4.11) vs. 8.38 (1.67) p < 0.05] and more markedly in the FEV1/FVC relationship [80.07 (5.89) vs. 83.89 (1.67) p < 0.001] and in FEF50 [4.73 (1.34) vs. 5.54 (1.44) p < 0.01] and FEF25 [1.58 (.47) vs. 1.99 (.69) p < 0.001]. There were no marked differences in air-blood exchanges. No correlation was found between respiratory function data and years of service or the number of fires extinguished during work experience. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.