[An epidemiological and evolutionary profile of occupational asthma of Tunisian workers]. / Profil épidémiologique et évolutif de l'asthme professionnel des travailleurs tunisiens.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to identify the epidemiological and occupational characteristics of patients with occupational asthma (OA) and to assess their clinical evolution and occupational outcomes. METHODS: We carried out a descriptive epidemiological study over a period of five years (from 2012 to 2016) about the OA cases in the private sector reported in the Tunisian region of Zaghouan. RESULTS: All in all, 165 OA cases were reported during the study period, representing an annual incidence of 733.3 cases per 1,000,000 workers in the private sector. Our study population was composed predominantly (85.5%) of women, whose mean age was 41.5±6.8years. More than three quarters of the affected persons were working in the automobile industry, and most illnesses (77%) were attributable to isocyanates. The mean time to onset of the respiratory symptoms was longer for low molecular weight agents (13.6±3.1years) compared to high molecular weight agents (12.0±3.9years) (P=0.0006). The majority of OA cases (66.7%) lost their jobs. Job loss was significantly more frequent among asthmatic women and workers with OA due to isocyanates. Among the 62 cases of OA for whom risk factors were eliminated, 45 nonetheless remained symptomatic. CONCLUSION: Effective prevention strategies involving the various actors need to be implemented in work environments so as to reduce the frequency and the medico-legal repercussions of a disabling condition.

Recent developments in occupational asthma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Occupational asthma (OA) is a complex condition that can be difficult to diagnose. The purpose of this review is to describe some recent findings regarding the epidemiology of OA, the occupational sensitizing agents, the prognosis of OA, and its primary prevention. RECENT FINDINGS: The risk of developing OA varies according to the geographic localization of the worker, the type of industry and the type of sensitizing agents. New findings have been reported for several known sensitizing agents, such as isocyanates, seafood & cleaning agents, and their related industries, such as hairdressing salons and schools. Moreover, a few new sensitizing agents, such as cannabis, have been identified in the past few years. The prognosis of OA seems worse than that of nonwork-related asthma. It is mainly determined by the duration and the level of exposure. Primary prevention is crucial to reduce the number of new cases of OA. Complete avoidance of exposure to the causal agent remains the optimal treatment of sensitizer-induced OA. SUMMARY: Improving our knowledge regarding OA and its causative agents is key to enable an early recognition of this condition and improve its prognosis. Further research is still needed to improve primary prevention.

Exploration of associations between occupational exposures and current adult eczema.

OBJECTIVES: There is a scarcity of evidence on occupational exposures that may increase eczema in adults. We aimed to investigate potential associations between occupational exposures and eczema in middle-aged adults. METHODS: A lifetime work history calendar was collected from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study participants when they were at age 53. Their work history was collated with the occupational asthma-specific job exposure matrix to define ever-exposure and cumulative exposure unit-years since no eczema job exposure matrix is available. Eczema was determined using the report of flexural rash that was coming and going for at least 6 months in the last 12 months. Skin prick tests were used to further subgroup eczema and atopic eczema (AE) or non-AE (NAE). Logistic and multinomial regression models were used to investigate the associations. RESULTS: Eczema prevalence was 9.1%. Current occupational exposure to animals (adjusted OR, aOR=3.06 (95% CI 1.43 to 6.58)), storage mites (aOR=2.96 (95% CI 1.38 to 6.34)) and endotoxin (aOR=1.95 (95% CI 1.04 to 3.64)) were associated with increased risk of current eczema. Furthermore, increased odds of NAE were associated with current exposure to animals (aOR=5.60 (95% CI 1.45 to 21.7)) and storage mites (aOR=5.63 (95% CI 1.45 to 21.9)). Current exposures to isocyanates (aOR=5.27 (95% CI 1.17 to 23.7)) and acrylates (aOR=8.41 (95% CI 1.60 to 44.3)) were associated with AE. There was no evidence of associations between cumulative exposures and eczema prevalence. Cumulative exposure to metalworking fluids (aOR=1.10 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.22)) was associated with NAE and acrylates (aOR=1.24 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.46)) with AE. CONCLUSIONS: In this exploratory assessment, multiple occupational exposures were associated with current eczema in middle-aged adults. Raising awareness and limiting these exposures during an individual's productive working life will likely have various health benefits, including reducing eczema prevalence.

Mechanistic and Therapeutic Approaches to Occupational Exposure-Associated Allergic and Non-Allergic Asthmatic Disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Occupational lung disease, including asthma, is a significant cause of disability worldwide. The dose, exposure frequency, and nature of the causal agent influence the inflammatory pathomechanisms that inform asthma disease phenotype and progression. While surveillance, systems engineering, and exposure mitigation strategies are essential preventative considerations, no targeted medical therapies are currently available to ameliorate lung injury post-exposure and prevent chronic airway disease development. RECENT FINDINGS: This article reviews contemporary understanding of allergic and non-allergic occupational asthma mechanisms. In addition, we discuss the available therapeutic options, patient-specific susceptibility and prevention measures, and recent scientific advances in post-exposure treatment conception. The course of occupational lung disease that follows exposure is informed by individual predisposition, immunobiologic response, agent identity, overall environmental risk, and preventative workplace practices. When protective strategies fail, knowledge of underlying disease mechanisms is necessary to inform targeted therapy development to lessen occupational asthma disease severity and occurrence.

Main Causal Agents of Occupational Asthma in France, Reported to the National Network for Occupational Disease Vigilance and Prevention (RNV3P) 2001-2018.

OBJECTIVES: The definition of work-related Asthma (WRA) has changed in recent years and new etiologies and agents have been identified. The aim of this study is to describe the main causal agents of WRA in France in the period 2001-2018 in the main work sectors. METHODS: Data were collected from the French national network of occupational health surveillance and prevention [Réseau National de Vigilance et de Prévention des Pathologies Professionnelles (RNV3P)], Data between 2001 and 2018 with at least a probable or certain association with one occupational agent, were included. RESULTS: Work sectors with more cases OF WRA included personal service activities (10.6%), food industry (10.2%) and healthcare activities (7.6%). WRA cases were most frequently related to flour (10%), quaternary ammoniums compounds (5.3%), isocyanates (5.1%) and cleaning products (4.8%). CONCLUSION: Occupational exposure to specific agents capable of causing WRA is still present, and four agents represent more than 25% of the cases. Actions to prevent respiratory exposure are still relevant.

Prevalence of work-related asthma among Egyptian farmers in Great Cairo.

Work related asthma (WRA) refers to asthma induced by exposure to sensitizing agents and/or irritants in the workplace leaving health and economic consequences. Early diagnosis can improve the prognosis of WRA permitting sometimes full recovery. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of WRA among Egyptian adult agriculture workers. A multi-center cross sectional study included 150 adult workers from 4 different farms, during the period from 2019 and 2021. All participants were subjected to full medical history, clinical examination, chest x-ray, skin prick test and CBC to detect absolute eosinophilic count. Spirometry with post bronchodilatation test (reversibility test) at the farm (in the day of insecticide aerosol and without aerosol) and after a week off the farm was also done. Age, median ± SD, was 37.67 ± 9.75 years, duration of farming occupation was 21.84 ± 10.18 years. Of the 150 participants, 11 had WRA. Of these, 6 had allergic occupational asthma, 3/11 had work exacerbated asthma and only 2/11 had irritant occupational asthma. Of the allergic subjects, 7.3% tested positive to mixed pollens, 4.7% to Alternaria, 2% to penicillium and 2% to the farm pollens. The onset of respiratory symptoms was 13.45 ± 6.93 months after start working in the farm. A statistical significance was observed between WRA and non-WRA individuals regarding age, duration of farming occupation and asthma symptoms during workday (P < 0.001). There was a statistical significance between WRA group and non-WRA group regarding FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio carried out at work, during holidays and during spraying (P < 0.001). Absolute eosinophilic count, mean among WRA group was 0.55 ± 0.13 (×103cells/mm3) with significance between WRA and non-WRA (P= 0.001). Farming occupation may cause WRA, therefore, more attention should be given to minimize exposure and risk of inducing WRA.

Occupational asthma in office workers.

BACKGROUND: Office work has a relative perception of safety for the worker. Data from surveillance schemes and population-based epidemiological studies suggest that office work carries a low risk of occupational asthma (OA). Office workers are frequently used as comparators in studies of occupational exposure and respiratory disease. AIMS: We aimed to describe and illustrate our tertiary clinical experience of diagnosing OA in office workers. METHODS: We searched the Birmingham NHS Occupational Lung Disease Service clinical database for cases of occupational respiratory disease diagnosed between 2002 and 2020, caused by office work or in office workers. For patients with OA, we gathered existing data on demographics, diagnostic tests including Occupational Asthma SYStem (OASYS) analysis of serial peak expiratory flow and specific inhalational challenge, and employment outcome. We summarised data and displayed them alongside illustrative cases. RESULTS: There were 47 cases of OA (5% of all asthma) confirmed using OASYS analysis of PEFs in the majority. Sixty percent of cases occurred in healthcare, education and government sectors. The most frequently implicated causative exposures or agents were: indoor air (9), printing, copying and laminating (7), cleaning chemicals (4), mould and damp (4), and acrylic flooring and adhesives (4). Exposures were grouped into internal office environment, office ventilation-related and adjacent environment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be vigilant for exposures associated with OA in office workers who present with work-related symptoms, where respiratory sensitizing agents may be present. A structured approach to assessment of the workplace is recommended.

Clinical Characteristics of Irritant-Induced Occupational Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Work is a substantial contributing factor of adult-onset asthma. A subtype of occupational asthma (OA) is caused by irritant agents, but knowledge of the clinical outcomes of irritant-induced asthma (IIA) is incomplete. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the clinical picture of IIA differs from that of sensitizer-induced OA. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed acute and subacute IIA patients diagnosed in an occupational medicine clinic during 2004 to 2018. Sixty-nine patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and their characteristics were analyzed at the time of the diagnosis and 6 months later. The results were compared with those of 2 subgroups of sensitizer-induced OA: 69 high-molecular-weight (HMW) and 89 low-molecular-weight (LMW) agent-induced OA patients. RESULTS: Six months after the diagnosis, 30% of the patients with IIA needed daily short-acting ß-agonists (SABA), 68% were treated with Global Initiative for Asthma, 2020 report (GINA) step 4-5 medication, and 24% of the patients had asthma exacerbation after the first appointment. IIA depicted inferiority to LMW-induced OA in daily need for SABA (odds ratio [OR]: 3.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38-10.46), treatment with GINA step 4-5 medication (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.08-4.57), and exacerbation (OR: 3.85, 95% CI: 1.35-11.04). IIA showed poorer results than HMW-induced OA in the latter 2 of these features (OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.07-5.79 and OR: 6.29, 95% CI: 1.53-25.83, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Six months after the OA diagnosis, a significant proportion of the patients with IIA remain symptomatic and the majority of these patients use asthma medications extensively suggesting uncontrolled asthma. The short-term outcomes of IIA appear poorer than that of sensitizer-induced OA.

Occupational Respiratory Allergy: Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Management.

Occupational allergies are among the most common recorded occupational diseases. The skin and the upper and lower respiratory tract are the classical manifestation organs. More than 400 occupational agents are currently documented as being potential "respiratory sensitizers" and new reported causative agents are reported each year. These agents may induce occupational rhinitis (OR) or occupational asthma (OA) and can be divided into high-molecular weight (HMW) and low-molecular weight (LMW) agents. The most common occupational HMW agents are (glycol)proteins found in flour and grains, enzymes, laboratory animals, fish and seafood, molds, and Hevea brasiliensis latex. Typical LMW substances are isocyanates, metals, quaternary ammonium persulfate, acid anhydrides, and cleaning products/disinfectants. Diagnosis of occupational respiratory allergy is made by a combination of medical history, physical examination, positive methacholine challenge result or bronchodilator responsiveness, determination of IgE-mediated sensitization, and specific inhalation challenge tests as the gold standard. Accurate diagnosis of asthma is the first step to managing OA as shown above. Removal from the causative agent is of central importance for the management of OA. The best strategy to avoid OA is primary prevention, ideally by avoiding the use of and exposure to the sensitizer or substituting safer substances for these agents.

[A definition of work-related asthma and its social and occupational consequences in adults and teenagers]. / Définition de l'asthme en relation avec le travail et ses conséquences sociales et professionnelles chez l'adulte et l'adolescent.

Work-related asthma (WRA) accounts for 10-25% of all adult asthma. It therefore seems important to raise questions regarding an asthmatic's approach to occupational or job training activities. WRA takes on two forms: work-exacerbated asthma (WEA) and occupational asthma (OA), which encompasses different subtypes of heterogeneous mechanisms. It currently represents a major challenge for occupational medicine in terms of detailed diagnosis, social care, the economic repercussions for workers and employers and, last but not least, social insurance. This review aims to sensitize health care practitioners to the peculiarities of WRA management in routine practice. More specifically, prognosis depends on early diagnosis, medical care and work adjustment measures. WEA and OA are explained in detail in view of identifying causative agents and at-risk occupations and defining adapted medical strategy. Relevant lines of questioning and complementary exams are presented. In addition, the key role of the occupational physician, especially as regards recognition and identification of occupational disease, is underlined, the objective being to facilitate optimal professional and social management. In future studies, the key role of counseling and orientation mechanisms should be highlighted as means of preventing WRA occurrence.

Barriers to identifying occupational asthma among primary healthcare professionals: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational asthma (OA) accounts for one in six cases of adult-onset asthma and is associated with a large societal cost. Many cases of OA are missed or delayed, leading to ongoing exposure to the causative agent and avoidable lung function loss and poor employment-related outcomes. Enquiry about work-related symptoms and the nature of work by healthcare professionals (HCPs) is limited, evident in primary and secondary care. Potential reasons cited for this are time pressure, lack of expertise and poor access to specialists. AIM: To understand organisational factors and beliefs and behaviours among primary HCPs that may present barriers to identifying OA. METHODS: We employed a qualitative phenomenological methodology and undertook 20-45 min interviews with primary HCPs in West Midlands, UK. We used purposive and snowball sampling to include general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses with a range of experience, from urban and rural settings. Interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed professionally for analysis. Data were coded by hand, and thematic analysis was undertaken and determined theoretically until themes were saturated. RESULTS: Eleven HCPs participated (eight GPs, three nurses). Four themes were identified that were considered to impact on identification of OA: (1) training and experience, (2) perceptions and beliefs, (3) systems constraints, and (4) variation in individual practice. OA-specific education had been inadequate at every stage of training and practice, and clinical exposure to OA had been generally limited. OA-specific beliefs varied, as did clinical behaviour with working-age individuals with asthma. There was a focus on diagnosis and treatment rather than attributing causation. Identified issues regarding organisation of asthma care were time constraints, lack of continuity, referral pressure, use of guidelines and templates, and external targets. CONCLUSION: Organisation and delivery of primary asthma care, negative OA-related beliefs, lack of formal education, and exposure to OA may all currently inhibit its identification.

Work-related asthma.

Work-related asthma (WRA) is highly prevalent in the adult population. WRA includes occupational asthma (OA), which is asthma caused by workplace exposures, and work-exacerbated asthma (WEA), also known as work-aggravated asthma, which is preexisting or concurrent asthma worsened by workplace conditions. In adults, the estimated prevalence of OA is 16.0%, whereas that of WEA is 21.5%. An increasing number of chemicals used in industrial production, households, and services are associated with the incidence of adult-onset asthma attributable to exposure to chemicals. This review article summarizes the different types of WRA and describes diagnostic procedures, treatment, prevention, and approaches to patient management. It is not always easy to distinguish between OA and WEA. It is important to establish a diagnosis (of sensitizer-/irritant-induced OA or WEA) in order to prevent worsening of symptoms, as well as to prevent other workers from being exposed, by providing early treatment and counseling on social security and work-related issues.

Occupation and subcategories of asthma: a population-based incident case-control study.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesised that occupational exposures differently affect subtypes of adult-onset asthma. OBJECTIVE: We investigated potential relations between occupation and three subtypes of adult asthma, namely atopic asthma, non-atopic asthma and asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). METHODS: This is a population-based case-control study of incident asthma among working-age adults living in Pirkanmaa Hospital District in Southern Finland. The determinant of interest was occupation at the time of diagnosis of asthma or the job that the subject had quit due to respiratory symptoms. Asthma was divided into three mutually exclusive subtypes on the basis of any positive IgE antibody (atopic and non-atopic asthma) and presence of persistent airways obstruction in spirometry (ACOS). We applied unconditional logistic regression analysis to estimate adjusted OR (aOR), taking into account gender, age and smoking. RESULTS: The following occupational groups showed significantly increased risk of atopic asthma: chemical industry workers (aOR 15.76, 95% CI 2.64 to 94.12), bakers and food processors (aOR 4.69, 95% CI 1.18 to 18.69), waiters (aOR 4.67, 95% CI 1.40 to 15.56) and those unemployed (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.52 to 6.17). The following occupations showed clearly increased risk of non-atopic asthma: metal workers (aOR 8.37, 95% CI 3.77 to 18.59) and farmers and other agricultural workers (aOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.10 to 5.06). Some occupational groups showed statistically significantly increased OR of ACOS: electrical and electronic production workers (aOR 30.6, 95% CI 6.10 to 153.35), fur and leather workers (aOR 16.41, 95% CI 1.25 to 215.85) and those retired (aOR 5.55, 95% CI 1.63 to 18.97). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that different occupations are associated with different subtypes of adult-onset asthma.

Occupations and exposure events in acute and subacute irritant-induced asthma.

BACKGROUND: Exposures leading to irritant-induced asthma (IIA) are poorly documented. METHODS: We retrospectively screened the medical records of patients with IIA diagnosed in an occupational medicine clinic during 2000-2018. We classified the cases into acute (onset after single exposure) and subacute (onset after multiple exposures) IIA. We analysed in detail, occupations, causative agents and their air levels in the workplace, exposure events and the root causes of high exposure. RESULTS: Altogether 69 patients were diagnosed with IIA, 30 with acute and 39 with subacute IIA. The most common occupational groups were industrial operators (n=23, 33%), metal and machinery workers (n=16, 11%) and construction workers (n=12, 8%). Among industrial operators significantly more cases had subacute IIA than acute IIA (p=0.002). Forty cases (57%) were attributable to some type of corrosive acidic or alkaline chemical. Acute IIA followed accidents at work in different types of occupation, while subacute IIA was typical among industrial operators performing their normal work tasks under poor work hygiene conditions. The most common root cause was lack of information or false guidance in acute IIA (n=11, 36%) and neglect of workplace hygiene measures in subacute IIA (n=29, 74%). CONCLUSIONS: Accidents are the main causes of acute IIA, whereas subacute IIA can develop in normal work in risk trades with poor work hygiene. Airborne strong acids or bases seem to be the most important causative agents of acute and subacute IIA. The different risk profiles of acute and subacute IIA should be considered in the prevention and identification of the cases.

The effectiveness of removal from exposure and reduction of exposure for managing occupational asthma: Summary of an updated Cochrane systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to update the 2011 Cochrane systematic review on the effectiveness of workplace interventions for the treatment of occupational asthma. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted with the selection of articles and reports through 2019. The quality of extracted data was evaluated, and meta-analyses were conducted using techniques recommended by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. RESULTS: Data were extracted from 26 nonrandomized controlled before-and-after studies. The mean number of participants per study was 62 and the mean follow-up time was 4.5 years. Compared with continued exposure, removal from exposure had an increased likelihood of improved symptoms and change in spirometry. Reduction of exposure also had more favorable results for symptom improvement than continued exposure, but no difference for change in spirometry. Comparing exposure removal to reduction revealed an advantage for removal with both symptom improvement and change in spirometry for the larger group of patients exposed to low-molecular-weight agents. Also, the risk of unemployment was greater for exposure removal versus reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure removal and reduction had better outcomes than continued exposure. Removal from exposure was more likely to improve symptoms and spirometry than reduction among patients exposed to low-molecular-weight agents. The potential benefits associated with exposure removal versus reduction need to be weighed against the potential for unemployment that is more likely with removal from exposure. The findings are based on data graded as very low quality, and additional studies are needed to generate higher quality data.

Airborne occupational exposures and inflammatory biomarkers in the Lifelines cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory biomarkers are associated with negative health outcomes. In this study, we investigated the associations between airborne occupational exposures and levels and changes in inflammatory biomarkers. METHODS: We included 79 604 adults at baseline from the Lifelines cohort of which 48 403 (60.8%) subjects were followed for a median of 4.5 years. Airborne occupational exposures at the current or last-held job at baseline were estimated with the occupational asthma-specific job-exposure matrix. Both in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, we used linear regression models (adjusted for age, sex, education, monthly income, body mass index, smoking, pack-years, asthma and anti-inflammatory medication) to investigate the associations between airborne occupational exposures (allergens, reactive chemicals, pesticides and micro-organisms) and inflammatory biomarkers (C reactive protein (CRP), eosinophils and neutrophils). RESULTS: In the cross-sectional analyses, exposure to allergens, reactive chemicals and micro-organisms was associated with a lower (Log) CRP level (B(95% CI)=-0.05 (-0.08 to -0.02),-0.05(-0.08 to -0.02) and -0.09(-0.16 to -0.02), respectively). Likewise, exposure to allergens, reactive chemicals, pesticides and micro-organisms was associated with a lower (log) neutrophils count (-0.01 (-0.02 to -0.01), -0.01 (-0.02 to -0.01),-0.02 (-0.04 to -0.01) and -0.02(-0.03 to -0.01), respectively). No association between airborne occupational exposures and eosinophils count was found. In the longitudinal analyses, no association between airborne occupational exposures and changes in inflammatory biomarkers was found. CONCLUSIONS: At baseline, airborne occupational exposures are inversely associated with inflammation; no effect of occupational exposures on inflammation was found at follow-up. In the future studies, details of occupational exposures, such as duration of exposures and cumulative exposures, need to be included to investigate the airborne occupational exposures and inflammatory biomarkers.

Work-related asthma / Asma relacionada ao trabalho

ABSTRACT Work-related asthma (WRA) is highly prevalent in the adult population. WRA includes occupational asthma (OA), which is asthma caused by workplace exposures, and work-exacerbated asthma (WEA), also known as work-aggravated asthma, which is preexisting or concurrent asthma worsened by workplace conditions. In adults, the estimated prevalence of OA is 16.0%, whereas that of WEA is 21.5%. An increasing number of chemicals used in industrial production, households, and services are associated with the incidence of adult-onset asthma attributable to exposure to chemicals. This review article summarizes the different types of WRA and describes diagnostic procedures, treatment, prevention, and approaches to patient management. It is not always easy to distinguish between OA and WEA. It is important to establish a diagnosis (of sensitizer-/irritant-induced OA or WEA) in order to prevent worsening of symptoms, as well as to prevent other workers from being exposed, by providing early treatment and counseling on social security and work-related issues.

RESUMO A asma relacionada ao trabalho (ART) é um acometimento com elevada prevalência na população adulta. A ART inclui a asma ocupacional (AO), desencadeada pela exposição a um agente presente em um determinado ambiente de trabalho, e a asma agravada ou exacerbada pelo trabalho (AA/ET), que acomete indivíduos com antecedentes de asma ou que iniciaram um quadro de asma concomitante, mas sem relação causal com o ambiente de trabalho. Estima-se que 16,0% e 21,5% da asma no adulto sejam AO e AA/ET, respectivamente. O elevado e crescente número de substâncias químicas usadas na produção industrial, no uso domiciliar ou em serviços é responsável pela incidência de asma associada à exposição a agentes químicos na vida adulta. Este artigo de revisão descreve os principais tipos de ART, os procedimentos para seu diagnóstico, tratamento e prevenção e as condutas frente ao diagnóstico. Nem sempre é fácil a distinção entre AO e AA/ET. A importância do diagnóstico (AO ou AA/ET e asma induzida por sensibilizantes ou irritantes) tem relação com a adoção de medidas de prevenção para evitar que novos indivíduos sejam expostos e que os acometidos apresentem agravamento da doença, utilizando tratamento precoce e fornecendo orientação sobre aspectos previdenciários e trabalhistas.

Occupational buckwheat allergy as a cause of allergic rhinitis, asthma, contact urticaria and anaphylaxis-An emerging problem in food-handling occupations?

Buckwheat is a known, though uncommon, allergen in occupational settings. It has recently gained popularity as healthy food and as an ingredient in gluten-free diets. We describe a series of six patient cases with occupational immediate allergy to buckwheat. Three cooks, two bakers, and a worker in a grocery store were occupationally exposed to buckwheat flour and developed immediate allergy to buckwheat, which was confirmed by skin prick testing and measurement of specific immunoglobulin E antibodies. Four of the patients were diagnosed with occupational asthma, four with occupational rhinitis, and two with occupational contact urticaria caused by buckwheat. Three of the six patients suffered anaphylaxis as consequence of their occupational buckwheat allergy after ingestion of food that contained buckwheat. The high rate of life-threatening reactions, together with a short exposure time to buckwheat before sensitization occurred in these cases, highlights the importance of a detailed occupational history and a high index of suspicion for occupational food allergens.

[Occupational medical pneumology - what's new?] / Arbeitsmedizinische Pneumologie ­ was gibt es Neues?

In case of obstructive, interstitial and malignant respiratory and lung diseases, occupational causes must always be searched for. The sensitivity and specificity of specific IgE determinations in the diagnosis of occupational asthma are only slightly above 70 %, even for high-molecular allergens. If the patient's medical history is positive, further diagnostics must be carried out, if necessary up to specific exposure testing in specialised institutions. New data show that the serial FeNO determination after working days compared to days off contains additional information that can lead to a positive diagnostic classification. In case of interstitial lung diseases, (avoidable) occupational triggers must be searched for - a new questionnaire provides practical assistance. Patients with lung carcinoma should also be investigated for occupational causes. Here too, questionnaires and tables are available in simple language. In future lung cancer caused by long-term exposure to passive smoke will be considered an occupational disease.