Occupational exposures as risk factors for asthma and allergic diseases in a Turkish population.
OBJECTIVE
There has been no community-based epidemiological study on the relation of occupational exposures with asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in Turkey. We examined the relationship between occupational exposures and adult-onset asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and eczema in a Turkish adult population.


METHODS
The data was collected from 1,047 adults, selected randomly from five distant family health centers. Questionnaires were filled by family practitioners with the help of interviews. The data included physician-diagnosed asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, wheezing, and occupational exposures.


RESULTS
Wheezing in all the subjects was associated with past exposure to irritants (OR: 1.7, 95%CI: 1.0-2.9), wood/coal smoke (OR: 2.3, 95%CI: 1.0-5.3), metal dust (OR: 2.6, 95%CI: 1.2-5.7), volatile fumes (OR: 2.5, 95%CI: 1.1-5.3), and paper dust (OR: 3.7, 95%CI: 1.5-8.9). Past exposure to dust (OR: 4.1, 95%CI: 1.2-14.2) and to irritants (OR: 6.5, 95%CI: 2.0-20.4) were associated with increased prevalence of wheezing in nonsmokers, whereas current exposure to irritants was associated with decreased prevalence of wheezing (OR: 0.1, 95%CI: 0.01-0.9) in these subjects. In subjects who were regular smokers, exposure to metal dust (OR: 2.8, 95%CI: 1.2-6.5), volatile fumes (OR: 2.3, 95%CI: 1.0-5.3), and paper dust (OR: 3.3, 95%CI: 1.3-8.6) were the main causes for wheezing. Physician-diagnosed eczema was associated with occupational exposure to chemical fumes (OR: 3.7, 95%CI: 1.3-10.6).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that occupational exposures were associated with wheezing and eczema prevalence in the studied population. Nonsmokers could be more vulnerable to respiratory effects of occupational exposures due to healthy smokers effect.
Kurt
Emel
E
Medical Faculty, Pulmonary Diseases-Allergy Department, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. dremelkurt@yahoo.com
Demir
Ahmet Ugur
AU
Cadirci
Omer
O
Yildirim
Huseyin
H
Ak
Guntulu
G
Eser
Tulin Pinar
TP
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology