The incidence of respiratory symptoms and sensitization in baker apprentices

¹ Dept. of Respiratory Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
² Dept. of Respiratory Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark
³ Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Institute of Public Health, Aarhus University Denmark

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tina.skjold{at}dadlnet.dk.

	Abstract

To describe the incidence of respiratory symptoms and allergic sensitization and sequences of events leading to respiratory symptoms among Danish baker apprentices (BA).

114 BA were surveyed for 20 months. Spirometry, questionnaires and skin prick test (SPT) to common and work-related allergens were done. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) was determined at baseline and at the end of follow-up.

The incidences of work-related rhinitis and asthma-like symptoms were 22.1 and 10.0 cases per 100 person years. At 20 months the cumulative incidence proportion was 40.2% 20.5% for rhinitis and, asthma-like symptoms. The cumulative incidens of occupational sensitization was 6.1%.

There was an increased risk of asthma-like symptoms in atopics and in females. In persons with new onset respiratory symptoms we found an increase in BHR from baseline. FEV₁, FVC did not change during follow-up. No relation was present between new sensitization and new symptoms.

Development of rhinitis- and asthma-like symptoms was common in BA. The mechanism for symptoms probably reflect development of an inflammation rather than production of specific IgE, since sensitization to occupational allergens was rare. Hence, respiratory symptoms and allergy may develop through separate pathways.