Emphysema and occupational exposure to industrial pollutants.

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Abstract
In a case-referent study, the possible association between the development of emphysema and occupational exposure to industrial pollutants was studied. Based on complete work histories from participants, the number of years of employment in a polluted workplace was assessed for 36 patients with emphysema and 72 referents matched for age (.+-. 2 yr) and smoking habits. Analyzed as matched triplets, the estimated risk ratio for the exposed (.gtoreq. 10 yr in polluted workplaces) subjects developing emphysema compared to nonexposed (< 10 yr in polluted workplaces) was 3.0, a statistically significant value. Estimated risk ratios according to the number of years employed in a polluted workplace did not show any significant trend towards a dose-response relationship. Only 1 emphysema patient had never smoked. In the further study of the relationship between emphysema and occupational exposure, the interaction between cigarette smoke and different occupational exposures was of particular interest.