Faculty of Medicine

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    Item type:Publication,
    PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRONIC RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND LUNG FUNCTION AMONG VINEYARD WORKERS
    (Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, 2025-12-16)
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    Atanasovska, Aneta
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    Bislimovska, Dragana
    Aim: To determine the frequency of chronic respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function in a group of vineyard workers. Results: Most of the vineyard workers believe that they are sufficiently informed about the health risks related to their work activities and the necessary measures needed for health protection. Also, most of them use the mandatory personal protective equipment, while almost all workers during their work, to a greater or lesser extent, were exposed to occupational respiratory hazards: dust, smoke, fumes, gases and pesticides. About 45% of subjects had one or more respiratory symptoms, and the most common symptoms were cough (40%), cough with phlegm (31.1%), as well as dyspnea and wheezing (22.2%). The frequency of chronic respiratory symptoms was higher in workers with more than 15 years of exposure, with a statistically significant difference in frequency of cough, cough with phlegm, and dyspnea. The risk of respiratory symptoms was about 3 times higher in active smokers and about 2 times higher in vineyard workers with exposure duration longer than 15 years. The mean values of all spirometric parameters were within the reference values, while lung function impairment of obstructive, restrictive and combined pattern was registered in about 20% of them. The mean values of spirometric parameters in vineyard workers with exposure duration longer than 15 years were lower than those with less than 15 years of experience, with a significant difference for small airways flow indices. Conclusion: The obtained results indicate the need to improve preventive measures.</jats:p>
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    Item type:Publication,
    Lung Function Impairment in Construction Workers – Influence of Smoking and Exposure Duration
    (Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI, 2021-05-08)
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    Bislimovska, Dragana
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    Atanasovska, Aneta
    AIM: The objective of the study was to assess the influence of exposure duration and smoking on ventilatory impairment among construction workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed, including 83 construction workers aged 18–64 years, compared to equivalent number of office controls matched by age, workplace exposure duration, and smoking status. Data on chronic respiratory symptoms, work history, and smoking status were collected by standardized questionnaire, while lung functional testing of the examined subjects was performed by spirometry. RESULTS: Mean values of spirometric parameters were lower in construction workers compared to controls with statistical significance registered for maximal expiratory flow (MEF25), MEF50, and MEF75. Lung functions of construction workers have been found to decrease in relation to exposure duration but reached significance only for small airways changes. There was a significant difference in detected ventilatory impairment between exposed workers and controls for any type of ventilatory impairment, as well as obstructive and combined ventilatory pattern and obstructive ventilatory pattern in small airways. Obstructive ventilatory impairment was significantly associated with life-time smoking in construction workers, while obstructive ventilatory pattern in small airways was significantly associated with life-time smoking. The combined effect of daily smoking, life-time smoking, and number of cigarettes smoked daily was shown to have a significant influence in their development. The risk for obstructive ventilatory pattern in small airways among exposed subjects was about 4 fold higher in those exposed more than 20 years (odds ratio [OR] = 3.68 [1.01–14.59] confidence interval [CI] 95%), and about 2.5 fold higher in smokers (OR = 2.57 [0.92-7.25] CI 95%). Exposure duration, smoking and age had independent effect only on small airways changes and force expiratory volume in the 1st s/force vital capacity %. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest the importance of the joint effect of job exposure in construction and daily smoking on the development of lung function impairment and airflow limitation, being dominant, especially on small airways.