<str<strong>on</strong>g>Effect</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Flour</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Dust</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Lung</strong> <strong>Volumes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Capacities</strong> <strong>in</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Flour</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Mill</strong> Workers<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure ,<strong>in</strong> other words there is a doseexposure relati<strong>on</strong>ship 14,15 . Some previous studies 16also showed decrease <strong>in</strong> FEF25-75 as collaboratedby our study.Decrease <strong>in</strong> PEFR is highly significant <strong>in</strong> case <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> flourmill workers suggest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>volvement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> largerairways 17 .This may be due to hypertrophy <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>mucosal cells due to irritati<strong>on</strong> by gra<strong>in</strong> dustresult<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>creased secreti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> mucouswhich causes obstructi<strong>on</strong> to the exhaled air 18 .MVV also showed a highly significant decl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>flour mill workers as compared to c<strong>on</strong>trols . Similarresults have also been reported <strong>in</strong> a previousstudy 19 also.MVV is c<strong>on</strong>sidered to be a goodguidel<strong>in</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the mechanical efficiency <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the lungs.So decreased values <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> MVV <strong>in</strong> flour mill workers<strong>in</strong>dicates that gra<strong>in</strong> dust causes decreasedmechanical efficiency <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> lungs 20 .The results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the present study support pay<strong>in</strong>gattenti<strong>on</strong> to work<strong>in</strong>g c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> flour millworkers. To reduce or elim<strong>in</strong>ate harmful effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>air-borne particles <strong>in</strong> various <strong>in</strong>dustries, spirometryshould be an <strong>in</strong>tegral part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a health careprogramme. Ideally the provisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> appropriatem<strong>on</strong>itor<strong>in</strong>g programmes <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry should be an<strong>in</strong>tegral part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> primary health care <strong>in</strong>itiativesdeveloped for work<strong>in</strong>g place with grow<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>dustrializati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> India especially Punjab.Adequate c<strong>on</strong>trol <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure to flour <strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>gredients dust should help to reduce the<strong>in</strong>cidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> respiratory diseases <strong>in</strong> the flour<strong>in</strong>dustry, which should be <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the objectives <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>occupati<strong>on</strong>al health. Periodic health check ups areequally important.C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>: <strong>Lung</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s showed decreasedvalues <strong>in</strong> flour mill workers as compared to c<strong>on</strong>trols.Sec<strong>on</strong>dly all parameters decreased with <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gdurati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure to flour dust.Acknowledgement: We Authors are grateful to theflour mill workers <strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>trol subjects whocooperated with us <strong>in</strong> complet<strong>in</strong>g this researchproject. 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