|
 |
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Copyright ©ERS Journals Ltd 2002
Asthma characteristics in cleaning workers, workers in other risk jobs and office workers
1 Respiratory and Environmental Health Research Unit, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Spain. 2 Dept of Public Health Sciences, King's College, London, UK. 3 Dept of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Dept of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. 4 Dept of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
CORRESPONDENCE: J.P. Zock, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica (IMIM), Doctor Aiguader 80, E-08003, Barcelona, Spain. Fax: 34 932216448. E-mail: jpzock@imim.es
Keywords: asthma, cleaning, European Community Respiratory Health Survey, occupation
Received: September 10, 2001
Accepted April 10, 2002
The European Commission supported the coordination of this work. Financial support was provided by the National Institute of Health, USA (NORA grant number 1R01HL62633-01).
Several studies have demonstrated an excess risk for asthma among cleaning workers. The aim of this analysis was to compare clinical, immunological and functional characteristics associated with asthma in cleaners and other occupational groups.
Cleaners, workers exposed to high molecular weight (MW) agents, workers exposed to low MW agents, and office workers were identified from an international community-based epidemiological study. Influence of sex, smoking, age and atopy on the relationships with asthma was investigated. Rates of respiratory symptoms, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, atopic sensitisation and lung function were compared between asthmatics from the four groups (case-case analysis).
The risk for asthma in workers exposed to low MW agents was higher among nonatopics than among atopics. Case-case analysis showed no major differences in asthma characteristics between cleaners and workers exposed to high or low MW agents. Asthmatic cleaners had less atopy, more chronic bronchitis and a lower lung function as compared to office workers.
Asthma in cleaning workers showed many similarities with that in workers known to be at risk for occupational asthma. Atopic sensitisation did not seem to play an important role in cleaning-related asthma.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. M. Tarlo, J.-L. Malo, and on behalf of the Third Jack Pepys Workshop on Asth An Official ATS Proceedings: Asthma in the Workplace: The Third Jack Pepys Workshop on Asthma in the Workplace: Answered and Unanswered Questions Proceedings of the ATS, August 1, 2009; 6(4): 339 - 349. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. B. Lynde, M. Obadia, G. M. Liss, M. Ribeiro, D. L. Holness, and S. M. Tarlo Cutaneous and respiratory symptoms among professional cleaners Occup. Med., June 1, 2009; 59(4): 249 - 254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Henderson, A. Sherriff, A. Farrow, and J. G. Ayres Household chemicals, persistent wheezing and lung function: effect modification by atopy? Eur. Respir. J., March 1, 2008; 31(3): 547 - 554. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 O.P. Kurmi and J.G. Ayres Review Series: Occupational and environmental lung disease: The non-occupational environment and the lung: opportunities for intervention Chronic Respiratory Disease, November 1, 2007; 4(4): 227 - 236. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. L. Osborne, K. L. Pedula, M. O'Hollaren, K. M. Ettinger, T. Stibolt, A. S. Buist, and W. M. Vollmer Assessing Future Need for Acute Care in Adult Asthmatics: The Profile of Asthma Risk Study: A Prospective Health Maintenance Organization-Based Study Chest, October 1, 2007; 132(4): 1151 - 1161. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. C Mirabelli, J.-P. Zock, E. Plana, J. M. Anto, G. Benke, P. D Blanc, A. Dahlman-Hoglund, D. L Jarvis, H. Kromhout, L. Lillienberg, et al. Occupational risk factors for asthma among nurses and related healthcare professionals in an international study Occup. Environ. Med., July 1, 2007; 64(7): 474 - 479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. H. Jacobs, S. Spaan, G. B. G. J. van Rooy, C. Meliefste, V. A. C. Zaat, J. M. Rooyackers, and D. Heederik Exposure to trichloramine and respiratory symptoms in indoor swimming pool workers Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2007; 29(4): 690 - 698. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R Orriols, R Costa, M Albanell, C Alberti, J Castejon, E Monso, R Panades, N Rubira, J-P Zock, and members of the Malaltia Ocupacional Respiratoria ( Reported occupational respiratory diseases in Catalonia. Occup. Environ. Med., April 1, 2006; 63(4): 255 - 260. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M Medina-Ramon, J P Zock, M Kogevinas, J Sunyer, Y Torralba, A Borrell, F Burgos, and J M Anto Asthma, chronic bronchitis, and exposure to irritant agents in occupational domestic cleaning: a nested case-control study Occup. Environ. Med., September 1, 2005; 62(9): 598 - 606. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J.-L. Malo Asthma May Be More Severe If It Is Work-related Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 15, 2005; 172(4): 406 - 407. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Le Moual, V. Siroux, I. Pin, F. Kauffmann, S. M. Kennedy, and on behalf of the Epidemiological Study on the Gene Asthma Severity and Exposure to Occupational Asthmogens Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 15, 2005; 172(4): 440 - 445. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J P Zock World at work: Cleaners Occup. Environ. Med., August 1, 2005; 62(8): 581 - 584. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A Sherriff, A Farrow, J Golding, the ALSPAC Study Team, and J Henderson Frequent use of chemical household products is associated with persistent wheezing in pre-school age children Thorax, January 1, 2005; 60(1): 45 - 49. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M Medina-Ramon, J P Zock, M Kogevinas, J Sunyer, and J M Anto Asthma symptoms in women employed in domestic cleaning: a community based study Thorax, November 1, 2003; 58(11): 950 - 954. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |