Diesel Exhaust Linked To Risk Of Progressive Lung Disease (COPD)

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 25 Nov 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Diesel exhaust boosts the risk of developing chronic progressive lung disease (COPD), suggests research published ahead of print in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

The research team assessed the respiratory health of more than 30,000 workers employed on the US railways, where diesel locomotives have been deployed since after World War II.

They wanted to gauge the long term effects of diesel exhaust on the risks of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for progressive lung diseases, such as emphysema and bronchitis.

In 1946, just 10% of rolling stock was diesel powered; by 1959, virtually all rolling stock was.

The researchers checked the health records of the US Railroad Retirement Board, which has maintained digital records of all its employees since 1959, including a yearly listing of all job codes and time spent in post.

Anyone working on the trains (conductors, engineers, brakemen) was considered to have been exposed to diesel exhaust.

Those working in ticketing, signalling, maintenance, admin, and as station masters, were regarded as not having been exposed.

The results showed that those who had been exposed to diesel exhaust were more likely to die of COPD than their peers who had not been so exposed.

The risks increased by 2.5% with each year of employment among those who were recruited after conversion from steam to diesel locomotives.

This risk fell only slightly after adjusting for smoking, a known risk factor for COPD.

Diesel exhaust is made up of fine particulate matter and combustion gases, and can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

Previous research has linked the organic compounds found in diesel exhaust with allergy, airway inflammation, and changes in airway functioning.

["Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in railroad workers" - Online First Occup Environ Med 2008; doi 10.1136/oem/2008.040493]

Occupational and Environmental Medicine