Table 1
A summary of studies which estimated lung function loss associated with average cumulative dust exposure or average duration of exposure*
| Exposure indices | Estimated loss of FEV1 and FVC associated with mean cumulative respirable dust or duration of dust exposure | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference | n | Mean age (y) | Mean duration of dust exposure (y) | Mean respirable dust (mg/m3); % of silica | Mean cumulative respirable dust (mg/m3-y) | FEV1 (ml); loss per year (ml/y) | FEV1/FVC (%) | FVC (ml) |
| *Only studies for which the loss in lung function could be estimated. | ||||||||
| †Respirable dust measured before hydrochloric acid treatment. | ||||||||
| ‡Additional loss associated with silicosis ILO category 3/3. | ||||||||
| §Respirable silica. | ||||||||
| NS, statistically not significant; NA, data not available. | ||||||||
| Studies where radiological signs of silicosis were found or where results for radiological silicosis were not reported | ||||||||
| Wiles and Faure, 197729 Hnizdo, 199030 | 2260 | 50 | 24 | 0.6†; 30% | 13.4 | 236; 9.8 ml/y | 2.3 | 217 |
| Cowie and Mabena, 199133 | 1197 | 46 | 25 | 0.6†; 30% | NA | 200; 8.0 447‡ | 3.3 | NS 351‡ |
| Manfreda et al, 198234 | 95 | 39 | 13 | 0.5; 8% | NA | 325 | NS | 364 |
| Kreiss et al, 198935 | 281 | 44 | 9 | NA; 19% | 8.3 | 155 | NS | NS |
| Studies where radiological signs of silicosis were not found | ||||||||
| Malmberg et al, 199336 | 45 | 52 | 22 | 0.16 §;NA | 7.2 | 150 | 3.2 | NS |
| Humerfelt et al, 19984 | 3445 | 38 | 7 | <0.2 §;NA | NA | 31; 4.3 | 4.5 | NS |
| Meijer et al, 20015 | 144 | 36 | 11 | 0.8; 9% | 7.0 | NS | 2.2 | NS |
| Jorna et al, 19946 | 172 | 45 | 12 | 2.2; 12% | NA | 124; 11 | 3.8 | NS |
