title: IgE Reactivity, Work Related Allergic Symptoms, Asthma Severity, and Quality of Life in Bakers with Occupational Asthma.
abstract: In Germany, bakers with occupational asthma willing to stay in their job are included in an interdisciplinary program of the Social Accident Insurance for Foodstuff and Catering Industry (BGN). The primary aim is to reduce flour dust exposure, and to provide adequate medical treatment. Our aim was to evaluate the program's effect on the disease's course using routinely collected data. Forty three bakers with allergic occupational asthma and with the available baseline level of IgE (f4, f5) were investigated. Changes in IgE related to wheat and rye flour exposure were measured by ImmunoCAP test during follow-up visits. A questionnaire on work-related allergic complaints (WRAC), the Asthma Control Test (ACT), a 10-point scale of asthma severity grade, and quality of life instruments (EQ-5D-5L, Mini-AQLQ) were administered. We found an improvement of asthma severity in 88.4 % of the bakers. WRAC were reported by 65 %; 77 % had good asthma control (ACT ≥ 20); and 81 % had regular asthma medication. A relevant reduction of ≥2 CAP-classes for both allergens was seen in 12 % of the subjects. Health-related and asthma-specific quality of life was high. We conclude that satisfactory asthma control is probably the result of adequate medical management. In a subgroup of bakers with decreased specific IgE, it may also be attributed to reduced allergen exposure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Occupational Medicine, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 10 Seewartenstraße, 20459, Hamburg, Germany. cordula.bittner@bgv.hamburg.de.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bittner
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Occupational Medicine, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 10 Seewartenstraße, 20459, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Occupational Medicine, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 10 Seewartenstraße, 20459, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Harth
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Occupational Medicine, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 10 Seewartenstraße, 20459, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Preisser
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059366:Asthma, Occupational / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Asthma control; Asthma related quality of life; Baker’s asthma; Health related quality of life; Occupational asthma