Background: Workplace conditions can contribute to the worsening of asthma. According to recent guidelines, work-exacerbated asthma is related to work and triggered by the permanence in workplace but not induced by them. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of workplace exacerbation of asthma and its impact on work disability. Methods: We analyzed data from a sample of 131 working subjects with well-characterized non-occupational asthma aged 18 to 65. Inclusion criteria were history of asthma and a positive methacoline challenge test (or if not available, a significant response to a bronchodilator). All subjects underwent structured telephone interview. Data about skin prick test were available for almost all patients. Results: One third (34.9%) of patients reported exacerbation of asthma at the workplace. The triggers reported more frequently were office/school dust (42.2%), low temperature (11.1%) and irritant chemicals (8.9%). Subjects with work-exacerbated asthma reported more frequently a bad control of asthma (68.9% vs 37.3%), loosing workdays (31.1% vs 13.3%) and changing job because of asthma (17.8% vs 1,2%). Finally 35.7% of all subjects reported that passive smoke at the workplace was able to aggravate asthma. No significant differences were observed among the two groups in terms of age, sex, atopy, smoking habits and job task. Conclusions: In this pilot study, work-exacerbated asthma is frequent among workers exposed to indoor pollutants and poor atmospheric conditions. A bad control of asthma and work disability seems to be rather common among adults with work-exacerbated asthma. However, a larger sample of asthmatics is needed to make stronger conclusions.
Work-exacerbated asthma: an Italian contribution
N. Murgia
;
2009
Abstract
Background: Workplace conditions can contribute to the worsening of asthma. According to recent guidelines, work-exacerbated asthma is related to work and triggered by the permanence in workplace but not induced by them. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of workplace exacerbation of asthma and its impact on work disability. Methods: We analyzed data from a sample of 131 working subjects with well-characterized non-occupational asthma aged 18 to 65. Inclusion criteria were history of asthma and a positive methacoline challenge test (or if not available, a significant response to a bronchodilator). All subjects underwent structured telephone interview. Data about skin prick test were available for almost all patients. Results: One third (34.9%) of patients reported exacerbation of asthma at the workplace. The triggers reported more frequently were office/school dust (42.2%), low temperature (11.1%) and irritant chemicals (8.9%). Subjects with work-exacerbated asthma reported more frequently a bad control of asthma (68.9% vs 37.3%), loosing workdays (31.1% vs 13.3%) and changing job because of asthma (17.8% vs 1,2%). Finally 35.7% of all subjects reported that passive smoke at the workplace was able to aggravate asthma. No significant differences were observed among the two groups in terms of age, sex, atopy, smoking habits and job task. Conclusions: In this pilot study, work-exacerbated asthma is frequent among workers exposed to indoor pollutants and poor atmospheric conditions. A bad control of asthma and work disability seems to be rather common among adults with work-exacerbated asthma. However, a larger sample of asthmatics is needed to make stronger conclusions.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
