Group comparison of demographic parameters, pre-employment spirometry, and bronchodilator tests
| Grouping | Miners (n = 317) | Referents (n = 132) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value represents mean (standard deviation). | |||
| †Percent change in post-, and prebronchodilator FEV1; one miner missed bronchodilator test. | |||
| Age | 22.3 (2.6) | 17.5 (0.8) | 0.0001 |
| Height (cm) | 170 (4.7) | 170 (5.5) | 0.5124 |
| Weight (kg) | 63 (5.6) | 58 (7.5) | 0.0001 |
| Smoking (pack years) | 0.7 (1.7) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0001 |
| FEV1 (l) | 4.47 (0.50) | 4.28 (0.48) | 0.0002 |
| FVC (l) | 5.29 (0.58) | 4.82 (0.60) | 0.0001 |
| FEV1/FVC (%) | 84.8 (7.0) | 89.0 (5.9) | 0.0001 |
| PP FEV1 (%) | 103.5 (10.1) | 105.4 (9.8) | 0.0668 |
| Δ FEV1-BD (%)† | 3.1 (5.5) | 2.8 (3.7) | 0.5131 |