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Eur Respir J 2002; 20:679-685
Copyright ©ERS Journals Ltd 2002


Asthma characteristics in cleaning workers, workers in other risk jobs and office workers

J.P. Zock1, M. Kogevinas1, J. Sunyer1, D. Jarvis2, K. Torén3 and J.M. Antó1,4 for the European Community Respiratory Health Survey

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.




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