title: Adverse respiratory outcomes associated with occupational exposures at a soy processing plant.
abstract: This study aimed to characterise the relationship between adverse health outcomes and occupational risk factors among workers at a soy processing plant. A questionnaire, spirometry, methacholine challenge, immune testing and air sampling for dust and soy were offered. Prevalence ratios (PRs) of respiratory problems from comparisons with the US adult population were calculated. Soy-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgE among participants and healthcare worker controls were compared. Associations between health outcomes and potential explanatory variables were examined using logistic regression. 147 (52%) out of 281 employees, including 66 (70%) out of 94 production workers, participated. PRs were significantly elevated for wheeze, sinusitis, ever-asthma and current asthma. Participants had significantly higher mean concentrations of soy-specific IgG (97.9 mg·L(-1) versus 1.5 mg·L(-1)) and prevalence of soy-specific IgE (21% versus 4%) than controls. Participants with soy-specific IgE had three-fold greater odds of current asthma or asthma-like symptoms, and six-fold greater odds of work-related asthma-like symptoms; the latter additionally was associated with production work and higher peak dust exposures. Airways obstruction was associated with higher peak dust. Work-related sinusitis, nasal allergies and rash were associated with reported workplace mould exposure. Asthma and symptoms of asthma, but not other respiratory problems, were associated with immune reactivity to soy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. cvx5@cdc.gov
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gaughan
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kullman
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Beezhold
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Blachere
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bledsoe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kreiss
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cox-Ganser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D045730:Soy Foods / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E