Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by inhalation of dust: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and occupational dust exposure, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of COPD caused by occupational factors. METHODS: PubMed and Embase databases were used to search for original epidemiological literature related to theme. Both random and fixed effects models were used to calculate pooled odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Review Manager was used to perform data analysis. RESULTS: Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis in accordance with the inclusion criteria. There was a significantly obvious correlation between occupational dust exposure and COPD of the population-based studies assessed in this article. The risk of developing COPD for workers exposed to dust was 1.51 times higher than for controls (I(2) = 40%, 95% confidence interval: 1.27-1.79). The presence of publication bias was not found. CONCLUSION: The study provided evidence supporting the association between occupational dust exposure and the risk of developing COPD.