Spirometric and Cardiopulmonary Exercise Functions of Bulgarian and Romany Children in the Years of Socioeconomic Transition

Tanya Turnovska1, Blagoi Marinov2, Stefan Kostianev2, and Stoilka Mandadzhieva2

1 Department of Hygiene and Ecomedicine and 2 Department of Pathological Physiology, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Corresponding author: Assoc. Prof. Tanya Turnovska, MD, PhD
    Department of Hygiene and Ecomedicine
    Medical University of Plovdiv
    15A Vassil Aprilov Blvd.
    4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
    Telephone: +359 32 602-543; +359 32 651-222
    Fax number: +359 32 602 593
    E-mail: turnovt@yahoo.com

CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.3.: 179–188

Key words:
Romany, Caucasian children, air pollution, respiratory function, ethnic differences

Abbreviations:
BMI1
CCE1
CCI1
FEV11
PImax12
PEmax12
RV1		 = Body Mass Index1
= Chest circumference at full expiration1
= Chest circumference at full inspiration1
= Forced expiratory volume in one second1
= Maximal inspiratory pressure12
= Maximal expiratory pressure12
= Residual volume1		 TL,CO1
TLC1
TSPM1
VC1
VO21
VCO21
VT1		 = Transfer factor (diffusing capacity)1
= Total lung capacity1
= Total suspended particulate matter1
= Vital capacity1
= Oxygen uptake12
= Carbon dioxide output12
= Tidal volume1

Abstract:
Mass impoverishment of the population was the high price of the socioeconomic transition in Bulgaria. One of the population groups most seriously affected were the Romanies. The aim of the present study was to carry out a pilot study on the differences in spirometric and cardiopulmonary exercise functions between Bulgarian and Romany children living in an ecologically risky region during the years of socioeconomic transition. The study was carried out in May 2001. Twenty-four children, 14 Bulgarian and 10 Romany, of similar age took part in it. All of them dwelt in a district close to a cement plant, and have attended a school located not farther than of 800–1000 m from the plant. The air pollution assessment was based on the data of a regular monitoring station in the vicinity of the school. Probes were manually taken according to the Bulgarian regulations. The children’s parents were asked to fill in a questionnaire requesting information on each child's birth-weight, disease history from the birth, symptoms and complaints for the last 12 months, etc. Pulmonary function testing was performed by a diagnostic system (MasterScreen Diffusion™, E. Jaeger, Wuerzburg, Germany). The cardiopulmonary exercise test was carried out on a motor driven, electronically controlled treadmill (TrackMaster™, JAS Fitness Systems, Pensacola, FL, USA). The following pollutants were analyzed: total suspended particulate matter (TSPM), Pb, SO2, NO2, H2S, and NH3. The average yearly concentrations obtained were under the limits, except for NH3. The values of the vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) between the two ethnic groups showed significant differences, but presenting the data as percentage of predicted normal values removed the differences. The same results were found for the diffusing capacity and the parameters of the cardiopulmonary exercise test. In conclusion, no convincing data can be reported on the ethnic differences in the spirometric indices and cardiopulmonary exercise functions of the investigated Bulgarian and Romany children exposed to low-level air pollution.

Received: 24 August 2005
Accepted: 11 January 2006
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