BACKGROUND: Occupational exposures for workers in @entity11728 ( @entity11728 ) construction include cement-containing dusts and diesel exhaust (DE). To investigate possible health effects, respiratory symptoms and lung function were examined in laborers, tunnel workers (TW), and operating engineers (OE) in @entity11728 and tunnel construction. The principal outcome of interest was airways disease. METHODS: Subjects were recruited through their unions. Medical and occupational histories and flow-volume loops were obtained. Based on self-report, @entity565 and chronic @entity3617 were categorized as (1) physician-diagnosed or (2) for @entity565 , undiagnosed likely, and (3) for chronic @entity3617 , symptomatic. Trade and time in the union were used as surrogates of exposure. Prevalence of @entity565 and chronic @entity3617 , lung function outcome, and relationships with exposure variables were examined. RESULTS: Data were obtained on 389 workers: 186 laborers, 45 TWs, and 158 OEs. Prevalence of @entity565 was 13 and 11.4% for laborers (including TW) and OEs, respectively, and of symptomatic chronic @entity3617 , 6.5 and 1.9%, respectively. Odds ratios (OR) for undiagnosed @entity565 likely were significantly elevated in TWs compared to OEs, and marginally elevated for chronic @entity3617 . Inverse relationships were observed between time in the union, and risk for @entity565 and chronic @entity3617 . @entity565 (physician-diagnosed or undiagnosed likely) predicted lower FEV(1). Current cigarette use was associated with chronic @entity3617 but not @entity565 . CONCLUSIONS: TWs, laborers, and OEs in @entity11728 construction are at increased risk for @entity565 . TWs also appear to be at increased risk for chronic @entity3617 . Our data suggest that symptomatic workers are self-selecting out of their trade. @entity565 was associated with lower lung function in those affected.

Respiratory symptoms and lung function in workers in XXXX construction: a cross-sectional study.

@entity3617 :: ('MESH:D001991', 'Disease') :: ['bronchitis'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma', 'Asthma'] @entity11728 :: ('MESH:D006362', 'Disease') :: ['HH', 'heavy and highway']
@entity11728 :: (MESH:D006362,Disease) :: ['heavy and highway']
