Pulmonary Function Impairments According to Exposure of Arsenic in Drinking Water Among the Arsenic Exposed Population

摘要

The pulmonary function status assessment of the people of arsenic effected area from drinking water has been reported. In the presented study pulmonary function test has been carried out in 223(male-118, female-105) control subjects and 254(male-128, female-126) arsenic exposed subjects. The average age of the control and exposed subjects were 37.32 ±16.93 and 38.86±15.38 year, respectively. The duration of water consumption for control and exposed subjects were 10.43±6.76 and 7.67±6.59 year, respectively. The control subjects were drinking the water of arsenic concentration of within WHO permissible limit. Based on the concentration of arsenic in drinking water presently consumed by the exposed subjects 2 categories have been made ＜50 μg/L and ＞50 μg/L. Weakness, diarrohea and dyspepsia were usually on higher side in arsenic exposed population irrespective of sex than control group. Cough and breathlessness is more in exposed group. The pulmonary function test values of control subjects were significantly higher than the exposed subjects of both the categories. The prevalence of respiratory impairments in the exposed category was more than the control group. The respiratory function impairments among the male exposed group as a whole 28.13% the corresponding figure in females is 6.34%. The restrictive type of impairments was more in exposed male 17.19% and female 5.55% compared to obstructive and combined restrictive and obstructive type of impairments. According to smoking habit male smokers are having more pulmonary function impairments compared to non-smokers.