Asthma severity of the disease influenced by occupational exposure to irritants

Occupational exposure to irritants can affect the severity of asthma, suggest the results of a French study published in the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine."

Although it is well known that occupational exposure is an important factor in asthma exacerbations or risk, so far the impact of occupational exposure on severity of asthma has not been studied.

The French research team gathered around Nicole's Moual, the U472 Unit of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Villejuif, wanted to clarify this point, analyzing data involving 148 adults asthma-recruited Services Respiratory-and-control 228 people from the general population, gathered as part of the Epidemiological study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (Egea).

Occupational exposure to different participants and non-irritating asthmogenic asthmogenic pollution was estimated using a matrix linking the type of employment and exposure specifically associated with the declared profession. Three categories of asthmogenic were identified, as were agents of high molecular weight, low molecular weight or a mixed environment. As for the severity of asthma, it has been established through a clinical score taking into account in particular the frequency of seizures, the persistence of symptoms and possible hospitalization.

Statistical analyzes were designed to detect possible differences between participants with a moderate or severe asthma and those in the control group. Based on these calculations, exposure to asthmogène nuisance whatsoever, appeared linked to a fourfold risk of developing severe asthma in adulthood. This excess risk is more or less important depending on the category of asthmogène considered: the risk is indeed multiplied by 3.7 for the agents of high molecular weight, 4.4 for products of low molecular weight (which include industrial cleaners) and 7.2 for mixed environments.

In contrast, no significant association was found between exposure to non asthmogenic irritants and asthma severity, or between exposure to asthmogenic and childhood asthma or mild asthma in adults .

This study suggests that occupational exposure to asthmogenic has a significant deleterious effect on severe asthma in adults, and practitioners should therefore consider the possibility of such exposure in adult patients with moderate to severe asthma recently appeared, the authors conclude.