RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Respiratory status in dairy farmers in France; cross sectional and longitudinal analyses JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine JO Occup Environ Med FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 858 OP 863 DO 10.1136/oem.60.11.858 VO 60 IS 11 A1 H Chaudemanche A1 E Monnet A1 V Westeel A1 D Pernet A1 A Dubiez A1 C Perrin A1 J-J Laplante A1 A Depierre A1 J-C Dalphin YR 2003 UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/60/11/858.abstract AB Aims: To compare respiratory status in dairy farmers with that of non-farming controls. Methods: Longitudinal study in the Doubs (France). From a cohort constituted in 1994 (T1), 215 (81.1%) dairy farmers and 110 (73.8%) controls were reevaluated in 1999 (T2). The protocol comprised a medical and occupational questionnaire, spirometric tests at both evaluations, allergological tests at T1, and a non-invasive measure of blood oxygen saturation (Spo2) at T2. Results: In 1999 analyses, the prevalence of chronic bronchitis was higher (p = 0.013), and FEV1/VC (p < 0.025) and Spo2 (−0.7%, p < 0.01) lower in dairy farmers than in controls. In a multiple linear regression model, farming, age, and smoking were significantly and inversely correlated with Spo2. In the whole population, the mean annual decline in FEV1 and FEV1/VC was −13.4 ml and −0.30%, respectively. Farming was associated with an accelerated decline in FEV1/VC (p < 0.025) after adjustment for covariates. No relation between allergy and respiratory function changes was observed, except for FEF25–75. Conclusions: This prospective study shows that dairy farming is associated with an excess of chronic bronchitis, with a moderate degree of bronchial obstruction and a mild decrease in Spo2.