Treefa A. Mahmood, Nasreen A.R. Wafi, Mohammed A.R. Shaikhan
College of Medicine, University of Sulaimani
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to cement is hazardous and studies abroad showed that repeated and
prolonged exposure to cement dust causes respiratory impairment.This study aimed at assessing the
respiratory function among workers of Tasloja cement factory which is one of the biggest cement
factories in the region, For this purpose a group of 139 cement workers with a group of 68 control
subjects were enrolled in this study. The cement workers group was divided into directly exposed and
indirectly exposed. Both groups were examined by spirometry .Spirometric examination included the
determination of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC% and PEF, at the same time their height& weight were
determined. There was a significant decrease in peak expiratory flow(PEF) among the exposed group.
Other spirometric values showed non-significant decrease. The decrease in spirometric measurements
was directly proportional to the duration of employment .
Keywords: Portland cement, spirometry, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
(COPD).
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