Adjusted differences between arsenic-exposed and arsenic-unexposed subjects were similar (within 2% predicted FEV1) when potential confounders were entered as continuous variables (e.g., cigarettes per day, age started smoking) or multiple

indicator variables (e.g., for education: (1) graduating high school, (2) some post-high school, (3) graduating university). Adjusting for outdoor air pollution, adult secondhand smoke, prior diagnosis of respiratory illness including pulmonary tuberculosis, obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) at time of interview, number of spirometry maneuvers Bafilomycin A1 datasheet attempted, or having reproducible spirometry (difference between highest 2 FEV1 and FVC values ≤200 ml) likewise had little impact on results. Prevalence odds ratios (PORs) for respiratory symptoms were calculated using the Wald method of logistic regression. Adjusted models included the same variables used for spirometry outcomes, plus age (in years) and sex. Table 1 Characteristics of participants [mean ± SD

or n (%)]   Peak arsenic before age 10 P value 0–250 μg/l (n = 65) >800 μg/l (n = 32) Selleckchem GSK872 Female 45 (69%) 18 (56%) 0.21 Age in years 48.9 ± 9.7 48.0 ± 6.2 0.62 LY2874455 Height in centimeters 161.1 ± 8.6 162.3 ± 8.7 0.54 Weight in kilograms 72.2 ± 13.7 72.6 ± 15.6 0.90 Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) 18 (28%) 6 (19%) 0.34 Highest education completed  Less than high school 9 (14%) 5 (16%) 0.89  High school 12 (19%) 8 (25%) 0.53  Technical school or incomplete university 20 (31%) 17 (53%) 0.05  Graduated from university 21 (32%) next 2 (6%) 0.003  Data missing 3 (5%) 0 (0%) 0.22 Occupational vapors, dust, gas, or fumesa 27 (42%) 5 (16%) 0.01 Indoor air pollution reportedb  Ever 13 (20%)

3 (9%) 0.18  Before age ten 9 (14%) 3 (9%) 0.53  Wood, charcoal, or kerosene in childhood home 41 (63%) 12 (38%) 0.01 Secondhand smoke exposurec  Ever 35 (54%) 16 (50%) 0.60  Currently 13 (20%) 3 (9%) 0.15  Before age ten 11 (17%) 12 (38%) 0.02 Smoking  Ever 40 (62%) 24 (75%) 0.19  Currently 21 (32%) 11 (34%) 0.84  Age started 20.2 ± 5.2 17.6 ± 3.7 0.04  Cigarettes per day everd,e 3.4 ± 5.4 4.2 ± 5.1 0.47  Pack-yearse 4.1 ± 8.1 4.9 ± 7.0 0.65 Respiratory illness diagnosed ever  Anyf 8 (12%) 1 (3%) 0.15  Chronic bronchitis 0 (0%) 1 (3%) 0.16  Asthma 5 (8%) 0 (0%) 0.11  Pulmonary tuberculosis 4 (6%) 0 (0%) 0.15 Lung function test quality  Scoreg 4.2 ± 1.1 3.8 ± 1.2 0.05  Reproducible resultsh 60 (92%) 28 (88%) 0.