Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine

Background: Majority of women living in rural areas use biomass fuels for production of domestic energy. Biomass fuel combustion causes indoor air pollution when used inside the dwellings. Combustion products may induce various effects on lung function.

Objective: Objective of this study was to compare the pulmonary functions in healthy non smoking rural women using biomass for cooking to those obtained in control group who were not exposed to biomass.

Methods: One hundred healthy non-smoking women were randomly selected within the age of 20-35 years for this study. The study group comprised of 50 subjects who cooked solely in biomass and 50 age matched subjects who were not exposed to biomass served as controls. A standardized respiratory questionnaire was administered to all the subjects and pulmonary function tests were evaluated by using Medspiror.

Results: The lung function parameters were significantly lesser in the study group, exposed to biomass fuel, than the controls FVC (p<0.01), FEF25-75%, (p<0.01), FEV1, (p<0.001), PEFR (p<0.01), FEV1/FVC% (p>0.05). The evaluation of PFT suggested both restrictive and early small airway obstructive type of pulmonary disease. Conclusion: The reduction in the pulmonary function in the biomass exposed women could be due to high exposure of biomass pollutants with inadequate ventilation in cooking area leading to chronic pulmonary disease.