European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Introduction: An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to extract heat from an area via a refrigeration cycle. In construction, a complete system of heating, ventilation and air conditioning is referred to as HVAC. Its purpose in a building or an automobile is to provide comfort during either hot or cold weather. While the absence of air conditioners and use of hot water heating systems is also reported to have a negative relationship with FEV1. Increased prevalence of Ig G induced sensitization and hypersensitivity pneumonitis is reported in persons exposed to aerosols of contaminated AC. While fluorinated hydrocarbons collectively referred as FREONS have been shown to result in widespread toxicity after accidental or intentional inhalation.  Materials and Methods: The present study is planned to assess the effect of air-conditioner on pulmonary functions in young healthy nonsmokers from April 2022 to March 2023 among Bank employees working in Srikakulam. The present study was conducted in Bank employees on 50 subjects using AC. The indoor temperature was maintained constantly between 18 and 220c. The study group comprises of 50 subjects who are exposed to AC for at least 6-8 hours daily for 1 year between the age group of 18-45 years, while 50 subjects who did not use AC at all served as controls. The pulmonary functions were assessed using Medspiror with built in computer programme using the standard laboratory methods. Results: In our study 50 apparently healthy subjects between the age groups of 18-45 years who were working using AC were selected for this study, among whom 65 subjects were male and 35 subjects were female. Another 50 subjects who did not use AC at all served as controls. Among controls 35 were males and 15 were females. The anthropometric parameters of the subjects and the controls when compared no statistical difference was observed both in males and females between the two groups on these parameters. The  mean  value for  FVC  in  male  subjects  was 2.73 and in the controls was 3.41. The difference in FVC between the two groups was significant.  Where as in female subjects the mean value for FVC was 2.2 and in controls 2.11. Conclusions: The lung functions particularly FVC, FEV1, PEFR, and MVV are affected more in AC users. This result is suggestive of predisposition of AC users towards respiratory disorders in the form of “Mild Air Flow Restriction”.  The long duration of exposure appeared to have contributed individually in lowering the lung functions. Restrictive type of pathology is more prevalent than obstructive type of pathology.