A study to compare pulmonary function in apparently healthy females exposed to biomass fuel combustion versus clean fuel combustion in Allahabad District

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Life in a typical Indian household revolves around the cooking area, and Indian women spend much of their time there. Cooking stoves in biomass fuel users are nothing more than a pit, a chulha, or three pieces of brick. Cooking under these conditions entails high levels of exposure to cooking smoke. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the pulmonary function parameters of biomass fuel users with clean fuel users. (2) To evaluate the pulmonary function test (PFT) among individuals exposed to biomass fuel combustion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and fourteen nonsmoking women without any history of any major chronic illness in the past were selected for this study. The study group comprised of 68 women exposed to biomass fuel combustion, 105 women exposed to clean fuel combustion, and 141 women exposed to mixed fuel (earlier using biomass fuel but now gradually shifting to clean fuel). All women were evaluated for PFTs MIR spirolab III. OBSERVATION AND RESULTS: The lung function parameters were significantly lower in the women exposed to biomass fuel in comparison to the clean fuel users and mixed fuel users forced expiratory volume 1 (FEV1) (P < 0.05); FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) (P < 0.05); FVC (P < 0.05); peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) (P < 0.05); the lung function parameters were also significantly reduced in group of mixed fuel users in comparison to the group of clean fuel users FEV1 (P < 0.05); FEV1/FVC (P < 0.05); FVC (P < 0.05); PEFR (P < 0.05). The evaluation of PFTs suggested the increased risk to the obstructive type of pulmonary disease in biomass users. CONCLUSION: The reduction in the pulmonary function in the biomass-exposed women could be due to high exposure to biomass pollutants with inadequate ventilation in cooking area.