EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON THE PULMONARY VENTILATION (REPORT NO. 8): RESULTS OF THE FIELD STUDY ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN POLLUTED AND NON-POLLUTED AREAS IN HOKKAIDO

• Published in: Japanese Journal of National Medical Services Vol. 24; no. 5; pp. 401 - 409
• Main Authors: NAGAHAMA, Fumio, SUGITA, Moritada, OBATA, Keiichi, OGASAWARA, Shiro, YOKOI, Toshio, IBAYASHI, Jun, UJIIE, Tadashi, FURUYA, Kentaro, MIKUNI, Chikara, KAWAKAMI, Yoshikazu, MARUTANI, Akiyoshi, GOTO, Kyoko, OSAKI, Yutaka, HONMA, Takeshi, MIYA, Shigeru, ONODERA, Sokichi, WATANABE, Shinya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society of National Medical Services 20.05.1970
• ISSN: 0021-1699; 1884-8729
• DOI: 10.11261/iryo1946.24.401

Complaints related to the respiratory tract and the ventilatory functions of the lung were studied on the students of four middle schools in polluted and non-polluted areas in Sapporo and Muroran in five occasions (two in summer and three in winter) during January, 1966 and January, 1968. Complaints analyzed were cough, sputum, shortness of breathing and wheezing. The ventilatory functions include vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one seconde (FEV1.0), maximal midexpiratory flow (MMF) and peak flow by the Wright's peak flow meter. The past and family histories were also analyzed. A criteria of Fletcher was used for chronic bronchitis. These data were examined against such factors as body height (classified by every five cm), sex and seasons. Results: 1) VC, FEV1.0 and MMF were tended to be lower in the polluted than in the non-polluted areas. 2) An occurrence of the obstructive patterns (lower %, FEVI.0 than 79% and MMF than 2.4/sec) was significantly higher in the polluted areas, eventhough seasonal difference in the pulmonary functions was not seen, 3) Symptoms of the respiratory tracts were complained more frequently in the polluted areas. The occurrence of the symptoms in winter was not significantly different in the polluted areas from that in the non-polluted areas in Sapporo, however, it was significantly frequent in Muroran both in winter and summer. 4) 1.5 to 2.4% subjects fitted to the criteria of Fletcher for the chronic bronchitis. 5) A past history of the bronchial asthma was documented from 1.6% in the non-polluted area in Muroran to 4.5% in the polluted area in Sapporo. These two extremes were significantly different.