RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Workplace challenge tests in workers excluded from work with possible occupational asthma
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA1159
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA1159
VO 46
IS suppl 59
A1 Moore, Vicky
A1 Walters, Gareth
A1 Robertson, Alastair
A1 Burge, Sherwood
YR 2015
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA1159.abstract
AB Introduction: We present 5 cases where workers had been removed from the workplace because of their asthma and were prevented from returning to normal duties without proof that work was not the cause.Methods: All workers lacked prior physiological evidence of OA. Workplace challenge tests were carried out with either a control day in hospital or at home. A clinical scientist escorted the worker at their place of work on the second day. The challenge lasted up to 4 hours with the worker subjected to usual exposures. FEV1 measurements were then continued away from exposure until bed. Where possible, a non-specific bronchial provocation test was carried out before and after the workplace challenge.Results: All 5 workplace challenge tests were negative. The negative tests led to a return to normal duties after reports were sent to the occupational health or employer with the worker's consent. Following return to work serial PEF records analysed by the Oasys software showed possible OA in 1 worker. Details are shown in Table 1. View this table:Table 1. Conclusion: Workplace challenge tests not only provide a diagnosis of OA but can also be used to refute the workplace association with asthmatic symptoms and lead to a return to work with substantial cost savings. Workers should be monitored using serial PEF on return to work as the exposure time may have not been long enough to elicit a reaction.