title: Work-related peak flow and asthma symptoms in a damp building.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Working in damp conditions is associated with asthma, but few studies have used objective testing to document work-related patterns.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the relationship of peak flow measurements to work-related asthma (WRA) symptoms and WRA among occupants in a damp office building.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the beginning of the study, all workers were offered a questionnaire and methacholine challenge testing. Participants were then instructed to perform serial spirometry using handheld spirometers five times per day over a 3 week period. Peak flow data were analysed using OASYS-2 software. We calculated the area between the curves (ABC score) using hours from waking. We considered a score >5.6 L/min/h to be indicative of a work-related pattern.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 24 employees participated in the questionnaire. Seven participants (29%) reported physician-diagnosed asthma with onset after starting work in the building. Almost two-thirds (63%) of participants reported at least one lower respiratory symptom (LRS) occurring one or more times per week in the last 4 weeks. Twenty-two (92%) consented to participate in serial spirometry. Fourteen participants had adequate quality of serial spirometry, five of whom had ABC scores >5.6, ranging from 5.9-23.0. Of these five, two had airways responsiveness, three had current post-hire onset physician-diagnosed asthma and four reported work-related LRS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found evidence of work-related changes in serial peak flows among some occupants of an office building with a history of dampness. Serial peak flows may be a useful measure to determine WRA in office settings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, NIOSH, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. sqg8@cdc.gov
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cox-Ganser
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Benaise
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kreiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059366:Asthma, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018877:Sick Building Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: Asthma; OASYS; dampness; lower respiratory symptoms; serial spirometry.