Occupational exposure and sarcoidosis: a case-control study in three countries.

Background: Preceding studies of environmental and occupational risk factors of sarcoidosis yielded inconsistent findings.

Aims: We aimed to ascertain the occupational risk factors for sarcoidosis in a case-control study.

Methods: A total of 237 sarcoidosis patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis were matched with 474 controls for sex and age (median 49, interquartile range 37; 60 years) recruited from the university hospitals and outpatient centres in Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation.

Occupational Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Commonwealth of Independent States: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Population-based studies from the Russian Federation and neighboring countries on the occupational burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are seldom or not included in the systematic reviews. The aim of this review was to summarize published population-based studies from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in order to ascertain the occupational burden of COPD. We systematically searched www.

Occupational exposure to metals and other elements in the tractor production.

Background: Exposure to metals via air sampling in workplace has been extensively studied; however, the magnitude of individual exposure in various occupational groups may vary dramatically. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to ascertain exposure to selected metals from metal fumes in a series of typical workplaces of contemporary tractor production.

Methods: Ninety-eight (median age 41 (interquartile range (IQR) 23) years, all men) workers from Minsk Tractor Plant were categorized into four groups, including assembly shop workers (group 1); thermal shop staff (group 2); steelmakers (group 3) and welders (group 4).

Occupation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Minsk tractor plant workers.

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the association of exposure to dust at workplace with COPD using objective methods of exposure and outcome classification.

Methods: Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV ) to forced vital capacity (FVC) <70%; FVC below LLN, and FEV below LLN from the annual screening of Minsk Tractor Plant workers (N = 458) were tested for predictors in an adjusted logistic regression model.

Results: In a regression model, adjusted for pack-years of smoking, age, sex, and work duration, work in highly exposed workplaces was associated with FEV /FVC<70% (odds ratio (OR) 2.