Determinants of asthma phenotypes in supermarket bakery workers

While baker's asthma has been well described, various asthma phenotypes in bakery workers have yet to be characterised. Our study aims to describe the asthma phenotypes in supermarket bakery workers in relation to host risk factors and self-reported exposure to flour dust. A cross-sectional stu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The European respiratory journal Vol. 34; no. 4; p. 825
Main Authors: Baatjies, R, Lopata, A L, Sander, I, Raulf-Heimsoth, M, Bateman, E D, Meijster, T, Heederik, D, Robins, T G, Jeebhay, M F
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 01.10.2009
Subjects:
Adult
Asthma - diagnosis
Asthma - epidemiology
Asthma - physiopathology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dust
Female
Flour - adverse effects
Food Industry
Humans
Male
Occupational Diseases - diagnosis
Occupational Diseases - epidemiology
Occupational Diseases - physiopathology
Occupational Exposure - statistics & numerical data
Phenotype
Prevalence
Prospective Studies
Respiratory Hypersensitivity - diagnosis
Respiratory Hypersensitivity - epidemiology
Respiratory Hypersensitivity - physiopathology
Risk Factors
Secale - adverse effects
Skin Tests
South Africa - epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Triticum - adverse effects
Young Adult
South Africa
ISSN:1399-3003, 1399-3003
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:While baker's asthma has been well described, various asthma phenotypes in bakery workers have yet to be characterised. Our study aims to describe the asthma phenotypes in supermarket bakery workers in relation to host risk factors and self-reported exposure to flour dust. A cross-sectional study of 517 supermarket bakery workers in 31 bakeries used a questionnaire, skin prick tests, and specific immunoglobulin E to wheat, rye and fungal alpha-amylase and methacholine challenge testing. The prevalence of probable occupational asthma (OA, 13%) was higher than atopic (6%), nonatopic (6%) and work-aggravated asthma (WAA, 3%) phenotypes. Previous episodes of high exposure to dusts, fumes and vapours causing asthma symptoms were more strongly associated with WAA (OR 5.8, 95% CI 1.7-19.2) than OA (2.8, 1.4-5.5). Work-related ocular-nasal symptoms were significantly associated with WAA (4.3, 1.3-13.8) and OA (3.1, 1.8-5.5). Bakers with OA had an increased odds ratio of reporting adverse reactions to ingested grain products (6.4, 2.0-19.8). OA is the most common phenotype among supermarket bakery workers. Analysis of risk factors contributes to defining clinical phenotypes, which will guide ongoing medical surveillance and clinical management of bakery workers.
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ISSN:1399-3003
1399-3003
DOI:10.1183/09031936.00164408