Abstract

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF PULMONARY FUNCTION PARAMETERS IN UNDERGROUND COAL MINERS OF TELANGANA STATE

Mohammad Younus Mohiuddin, Sandeep B., Nethaji M., Sudheer Kumar D. and Kishore P.*

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pulmonary function parameters using portable electronic spirometer in underground coal miners and to compare the obtained results with the equal number of general population (Control). The assessed spirometry parameters include Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF25-75). Coal miners are more prone to acquire restrictive respiratory diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis and coal worker’s pneumoconiosis. The results show that there is a statistical significance for all the pulmonary function parameters among underground coal miners. We noted that 93% underground coal miners had FVC abnormality compared to 4% in general population and 12.5% underground coal miners had severe FVC deficit whereas there was no severe FVC deficit in general population. Among coal miners, factors such as age and work experience lead to a gradual decline in FVC. Our spirometry analysis suggests that the FVC deficit has an impact in inducing deficiency of other pulmonary function parameters such as FEV1, PEF and FEF25-75.

Keywords: Spirometry, Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF25-75), Underground coal miners.