Table 3 Primary and secondary health outcome definition and measurment in the field study in the Parisan subway
Outcome | Measurement method | Diagnostic criteria |
|---|---|---|
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease | Spirometry performed by the trained occupational physician with the reversibility test if necessary | Post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s to the forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC ratio) of less than 70% in presence of the clinical symptoms such as dyspnea, chronic cough or sputum production |
Micronuclei frequency | Micronuclei counting (per 1000 cells (‰)) according to the standardized protocol (Buccal Cell Micronuclei Assay) | The individual measured values will be interpreted using a frequency diagram of micronuclei versus age in the healthy unexposed population (51). Values above reference values for a given age will be considered an early signal of the effect of genotoxic exposure |
Asthma | Self-administered questionnaire | Being on treatment for asthma or at least one of the symptoms suggestive of asthma (asthma attack(s), wheezing in the chest, difficulty in breathing, attack of breathlessness) in the past 12 months |
Chronic bronchitis | Self-administered questionnaire | Productive cough for at least 3 consecutive months per year and for at least 2 consecutive years or when the diagnosis has been confirmed by a physician |
Emphysema | Self-administered questionnaire | Diagnosis has been confirmed by a physician |
Active allergic rhinitis | Self-administered questionnaire | Symptomatic allergic rhinitis (sneezing or a runny or stuffy nose without having a cold or the flu) and under treatment during the last 12 months |
Eczema | Self-administered questionnaire | Eczema diagnosis and/or treatment in the past 12 months |
Atopy | Immediate reading allergic skin tests by the prick-test technique for 12 most common pneumallergens | The test results will be read by the occupational physician and considered positive if the diameter of the papule formed is greater than or equal to 3 mm and at least equal to half of the papule of the positive control (histamine) |