[Absenteeism due to occupational diseases among sugarcane workers].

The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of work-related sick leave in sugarcane workers. A total of 1,230 medical excuses for 400 sugarcane workers were analyzed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). The following items were analyzed: diagnosis, sex, and length and season of sick leave.

[Assessment of health-related quality of life of sugarcane cutters in the pre-harvest and harvest periods].

Objective: To assess health-related quality of life in sugarcane cutters.

Methods: Longitudinal study conducted in a sugar and ethanol plant located in the western region of the State of São Paulo (Southeastern Brazil) from April (pre-harvest) to October (harvest) 2010. A total of 44 sugarcane cutters, smokers and non-smokers, was evaluated in three periods: pre-harvest, at the end of the third month during harvest and at the end of harvest.

Short-term effects of air pollution from biomass burning in mucociliary clearance of Brazilian sugarcane cutters.

Nasal mucociliary system is the first line of defense of the upper airways and may be affected acutely by exposure to particulate matter (PM) from biomass burning. Several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a consistent association between levels of air pollution from biomass burning with increases in hospitalization for respiratory diseases and mortality. To determine the acute effects of exposure to particulate matter from biomass burning in nasal mucociliary transport by saccharin transit time (STT) test, we studied thirty-three non-smokers and twelve light smokers sugarcane cutters in two periods: pre-harvest season and 4 h after harvest at the first day after biomass burning.