Sick-building symptoms in office workers in northeastern France: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To verify that sick building symptoms are present in north-eastern France office workers; to try to identify new confounding factors.


METHODS
The design was that of a cross-sectional study with control group. We studied with the same methods the personnel of an air-conditioned building (n=425), and of a naturally ventilated building (n=351). Air temperature and humidity, bacterial and fungal densities were measured by the same technical staff in the two buildings. A standard questionnaire on irritative and respiratory symptoms, personal and family history, and lifestyle was completed by the participants.


RESULTS
In univariate analysis, exposure to air-conditioning was associated with an increased prevalence of symptoms (odds ratios-OR-between 1.54 and 2.84). A significant increase in sickness absence was also found among subjects working in air-conditioned offices. As a series of factors were suspected to interfere with these associations, logistic regression was applied. This method confirmed exposure to be an independent determinant of 7 symptoms, and also identified two determinants not previously described: a family history of respiratory diseases and "do-it-yourself' activities.


CONCLUSIONS
we found the sick building symptoms to be present in a group of French office workers exposed to air-conditioning. We confirmed the influence of a number of confounding factors and described two further confounders - do-it-yourself activities at home and a history of familial respiratory disease.
Teculescu
D B
DB
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Vandoeuvre, France. teculesc@u420.nancy.inserm.fr
Sauleau
E A
EA
Massin
N
N
Bohadana
A B
AB
Buhler
O
O
Benamghar
L
L
Mur
J M
JM
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000389:Air Conditioning; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D018877:Sick Building Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology