VENTILATORY FUNCTION IN NONSMOKING RURAL INDIAN WOMEN USING DIFFERENTCOOKING FUELS

Lung function parameters, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expirato ry volume in 1st s (FEV(1)), peak expiratory flow rate (PEER), were me asured in 3,318 nonsmoking Indian women using four different types of cooking fuels (biomass, liquified petroleum gas, kerosene and mixed). Biomass fuel users had FVC values less than 75% predicted (73.42 +/- 0 .90 mean +/- SE) whereas in other groups it was more than 75% of predi cted, though less than 80% of the predicted values. However, FEV(1), F EV(1)/FVC (%) and PEFR were within normal limits in all the four group s. The absolute values of all the three parameters of lung functions w ere the lowest in the biomass and mixed fuel users. A negative correla tion was observed between these parameters and the duration of cooking and exposure index. Thus the present study showed that, lung function , particularly FVC, is affected by indoor air pollution due to domesti c cooking more so with biomass fuel. Better housing and use of smokele ss devices for cooking might be helpful to avoid this effect on lung. This ventilatory impairment seems to be more of the restrictive (paren chymal) type, since obstruction could be ruled out. A longitudinal stu dy is needed to demonstrate whether or not these changes are variable, reversible or progressing to fibrosis.