title: The prevalence of asthma work relatedness: Preliminary data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  About 5-10% of asthmatics do not respond well to standard treatment plan. Occupational exposure may be one of the factors that can be linked with treatment failure. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of work-related asthma (WRA) among adult asthmatics under follow up in an outpatient allergy clinic and to create a useful tool for detecting individuals with possible WRA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preliminary 5-question questionnaire designed to recognize WRA was presented to 300 asthmatics. All patients with positive preliminary verification along with 50 subjects from control group were asked to fill up a detailed questionnaire. The WRA was diagnosed by positive match for asthma symptoms in combination with workplace exposure indicated in the detailed WRA questionnaire followed by confirmation of each WRA case by detailed exposure analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Work-related asthma was recognized in 63 subjects (21% of study group). The preliminary questionnaire has 76.9% sensitivity and 94% specificity in recognition of WRA. Occupational exposure to irritants is a risk factor of WRA recognition (relative risk (RR) = 2.09 (1.44:3.03)). Working in exposure-free environment is a factor against WRA recognition (RR = 0.38 (0.24:0.61)). Among subjects with work-related asthma, the uncontrolled course of the disease is significantly more frequent (p = 0.012). Subjects with WRA more often report sickness absenteeism due to asthma than those without WRA (9.6% vs. 3.2%, respectively), but the observed differences did not reach the statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short 5-question questionnaire seems to be a promising tool to detect individuals with possible work-related asthma in the outpatient setting for further evaluation and additional attention.
authors: Dr Karol Jonscher City Hospital, Łódź, Poland (Department of Internal Diseases and Cardiology). wdudek@data.pl.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Dudek
authors: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy). izabela.kuprys-lipinska@umed.lodz.pl.
authors: Izabela
authors: I
authors: Kupryś-Lipińska
authors: The Regional Centre for Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland. tomekwit@imp.lodz.pl.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Wittczak
authors: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology). mika@imp.lodz.pl.
authors: Dominika
authors: D
authors: Świerczyńska-Machura
authors: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy). maciek.kupczyk@ki.se.
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Kupczyk
authors: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Department of Occupational Diseases and Toxicology). jolantaw@imp.lodz.pl.
authors: Jolanta
authors: J
authors: Walusiak-Skorupa
authors: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy). piotr.kuna@umed.lodz.pl.
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Kuna
authors: Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Department of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy). cpalczyn@imp.lodz.pl.
authors: Cezary
authors: C
authors: Pałczyński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace
keywords: asthma; epidemiology; occupational diseases