Zock J P, Kogevinas M, Sunyer J, Jarvis D, Torén K, Antó J M
Respiratory and Environmental Health Research Unit, Institut Municipal d'lnvestigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Spain.
Eur Respir J. 2002 Sep;20(3):679-85. doi: 10.1183/09031936.02.00279702.
Several studies have demonstrated an excess risk for asthma among cleaning workers. The aim of this analysis was to compare clinical, immunological and functional characteristics associated with asthma in cleaners and other occupational groups. Cleaners, workers exposed to high molecular weight (MW) agents, workers exposed to low MW agents, and office workers were identified from an international community-based epidemiological study. Influence of sex, smoking, age and atopy on the relationships with asthma was investigated. Rates of respiratory symptoms, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, atopic sensitisation and lung function were compared between asthmatics from the four groups (case-case analysis). The risk for asthma in workers exposed to low MW agents was higher among nonatopics than among atopics. Case-case analysis showed no major differences in asthma characteristics between cleaners and workers exposed to high or low MW agents. Asthmatic cleaners had less atopy, more chronic bronchitis and a lower lung function as compared to office workers. Asthma in cleaning workers showed many similarities with that in workers known to be at risk for occupational asthma. Atopic sensitisation did not seem to play an important role in cleaning-related asthma.
多项研究表明，清洁工人患哮喘的风险更高。本分析的目的是比较清洁工人和其他职业群体中与哮喘相关的临床、免疫和功能特征。清洁工人、接触高分子量（MW）物质的工人、接触低分子量物质的工人以及办公室职员是从一项基于国际社区的流行病学研究中确定的。研究了性别、吸烟、年龄和特应性对与哮喘关系的影响。比较了四组哮喘患者（病例-病例分析）的呼吸道症状发生率、支气管高反应性、特应性致敏和肺功能。在非特应性个体中，接触低分子量物质的工人患哮喘的风险高于特应性个体。病例-病例分析显示，清洁工人与接触高或低分子量物质的工人在哮喘特征方面没有重大差异。与办公室职员相比，患哮喘的清洁工人特应性较少，慢性支气管炎较多，肺功能较低。清洁工人的哮喘与已知有职业性哮喘风险的工人的哮喘有许多相似之处。特应性致敏在与清洁相关的哮喘中似乎没有起到重要作用。
