Abstract
Background: Laryngeal dysfunction has been described prevalent in asthma. Workplace exposure to respiratory irritants has been reported as an important cause of “work-related irritable larynx syndrome”.
Method:
We sought to assess the clinical characteristics and airway inflammatory markers associated with work-related dysphonia in a cohort of 372 subjects with sensitizer-induced occupational asthma (OA) ascertained by a positive specific inhalation challenge (SIC) among the multicenter European network for the PHenotyping of OCcupational ASthma (E-PHOCAS). All patients underwent induced sputum before and after SIC. The diagnosis of dysphonia at work was declarative.
Result: Forty subjects (16%) experienced dysphonia while exposed at their workplace. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated an association between dysphonia at work and female gender (OR = 2.30; 95% CI, 1.03-5.21), high level of treatment (GINA 4-5) (OR =2.76; 95%CI, 1.20-6.39), and neutrophilic inflammation (OR for 1%increase of sputum neutrophilia in induced sputum post SIC= 1.05; 95%CI, 1.03-1.07).
Conclusion: Dysphonia at work is prevalent in sensitizer-induced asthma and is associated to neutrophilic inflammation. Further prospective studies using validated questionnaires, evaluation through laryngoscopy, and induced sputum analysis are needed in order to confirm the association between work-related laryngeal dysfunction and neutrophilic airway inflammation.
Footnotes
Cite this article as Eur Respir J 2022; 60: Suppl. 66, 3694.
This article was presented at the 2022 ERS International Congress, in session “-”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2022