Han Jiyoung, Kim Yangwoo, Lee Sooyeon, Lee Soo-Jin
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2020 Nov 11;32:e36. doi: 10.35371/aoem.2020.32.e36. eCollection 2020.
Farmers are often exposed to dust, molds, pollen, animal products, insects, and chemicals. Accordingly, they have a high prevalence of respiratory and allergic diseases. Some studies have shown that farmers have a high prevalence of respiratory diseases and symptoms depending on where farmers work. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether certain types of agricultural workplaces are associated with the prevalence of allergic reactions in skin prick tests (SPTs) in South Korea.
A total of 149 farmers, grouped according to their workplaces in greenhouses, poultry houses, or outdoors, answered a self-reported questionnaire about the prevalence of respiratory diseases and symptoms. They were skin-tested using 12 allergens. The questionnaire and the prevalence of positive skin tests were determined for each of the participant groups, and the results were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.
There were significant differences in the prevalence of allergic reactions to the SPT, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs) and asthma symptoms (wheezing) among the subgroups. The allergic reaction to SPT was the highest in greenhouse workers (30.9%), followed by poultry house workers (15.9%), and outdoor workers (8.1%). The prevalence of COPD was 6.8% in poultry house workers alone and not in other groups. The prevalence of wheezing was the highest at 9.1% in poultry house workers. According to the results of the logistic analysis, the prevalence of allergic reactions to SPT had positive correlations with the types of workplaces. Greenhouse workers had higher risk of SPT sensitization compared to outdoor workers (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 5.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-32.24). The prevalence of SPT positivity also had an association with the symptoms of sneezing, rhinorrhea, or nasal congestion (adjusted OR: 6.64, 95% CI: 2.06-23.63).
These data demonstrate that the types of workplaces were associated with the prevalence of allergic sensitization. This could be explained by the difference in the type or level of airborne exposures in each workplace. It is also likely that this was caused by differences between groups of individual factors such as age and BMI that influence SPT sensitization.
农民经常接触灰尘、霉菌、花粉、动物制品、昆虫和化学品。因此，他们患呼吸道和过敏性疾病的比例很高。一些研究表明，根据农民的工作地点不同，他们患呼吸道疾病和症状的比例也很高。本研究的目的是调查在韩国某些类型的农业工作场所是否与皮肤点刺试验（SPT）中过敏反应的发生率相关。
共有149名农民，根据他们在温室、禽舍或户外的工作地点进行分组，回答了一份关于呼吸道疾病和症状发生率的自我报告问卷。他们使用12种过敏原进行了皮肤测试。确定了每个参与者组的问卷和皮肤测试阳性率，并通过多因素逻辑回归分析结果。
各亚组在SPT过敏反应、慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）和哮喘症状（喘息）的发生率上存在显著差异。温室工人的SPT过敏反应最高（30.9%），其次是禽舍工人（15.9%）和户外工人（8.1%）。仅禽舍工人的COPD患病率为6.8%，其他组则无。禽舍工人的喘息患病率最高，为9.1%。根据逻辑分析结果，SPT过敏反应的发生率与工作场所类型呈正相关。与户外工人相比，温室工人SPT致敏的风险更高（调整后的优势比[OR]：5.55，95%置信区间[CI]：1.32 - 32.24）。SPT阳性率也与打喷嚏、流涕或鼻塞症状相关（调整后的OR：6.64，95%CI：2.06 - 23.63）。
这些数据表明工作场所类型与过敏致敏率相关。这可以通过每个工作场所空气传播暴露的类型或水平差异来解释。也有可能是由影响SPT致敏的年龄和BMI等个体因素组间差异导致的。
