title: Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and exercise-induced respiratory symptoms in workers exposed to tea dust.
abstract: Assuming that airborne particles and pollutants are important contributing factors in the development of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), we performed a case-control study including 63 tea workers (36 men and 27 women, aged 36-55, duration of employment 3-30 years) and an equal number of office workers, matched by sex and age. Exercise-induced respiratory symptoms were recorded in a questionnaire. Skin prick tests, spirometry, as well as exercise and histamine challenge were carried out. Environmental measurements were performed on site during the work shifts. The prevalence of self-reported exercise-induced respiratory symptoms and EIB did not differ significantly between the exposed and control group (41.6% vs 36.8%, and 6.4% vs 4.8%, respectively). In both exposed and control workers, EIB was strongly linked to asthma (P < 0.01). In the exposed workers it was significantly associated with positive family history of asthma (P < 0.01) and positive family history of atopies (P < 0.05), whereas in the exposed smokers it was significantly related to smoking duration (P < 0.05). Bronchial reaction to exercise in the exposed smokers was significantly greater than in control smokers (P < 0.05). Self-reported exercise-induced respiratory symptoms were weakly associated with EIB, with a large proportion of false positive and a low proportion of false negative results in both groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiorespiratory Functional Diagnostics, Institute of Occupational Health-WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational Health, Skopje, Macedonia. minovj@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minov
authors.forename: Jovanka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karadzinska-Bislimovska
authors.forename: Snezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Risteska-Kuc
authors.forename: Saso
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stoleski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001628:Beverages; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D004391:Dust; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust