Occupational asthma in professional cleaning work: a clinical study.
Occup Med (Lond)
; 61(2): 121-6, 2011 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21285030
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Several epidemiological studies have reported an increased risk of asthma among professional cleaners. To date, however, no analysis of large patient series from clinic of occupational medicine has been published.AIMS:
To describe the cases of occupational asthma (OA) diagnosed at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) during the period 1994-2004 in workers employed in professional cleaning work.METHODS:
OA was diagnosed according to patient history, lung function examinations and specific challenge tests with measurements of the forced expiratory volume in 1 second and peak expiratory flow values.RESULTS:
Our series comprised 20 patients, all female, with a mean age of 48.8 years (range 27-60 years). The mean duration of cleaning work before the onset of the respiratory symptoms was 14.3 years (range 1-36 years), and the mean duration of cleaning work before the FIOH examinations was 18.6 years (range 3-38 years). OA was triggered by chemicals in 9 cases (45%) and by moulds in 11 cases (55%). The chemicals were cleaning chemicals (wax-removing substances containing ethanolamines in five cases and a cleaning agent containing chloramine-T in one case) and chemicals used in the industrial processes at workplaces (three cases). Of the moulds, the most frequently associated with OA was Aspergillus fumigatus (nine cases).CONCLUSIONS:
OA was attributed not only to cleaning chemicals but also to other chemicals used in work environments. Moulds are presented as a new cause of OA in cleaners.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Asma
/
Exposição Ocupacional
/
Doenças Profissionais
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Occup Med (Lond)
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA OCUPACIONAL
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Finlândia