TY - JOUR
T1 - Occupational exposures and exacerbations of asthma and COPD-A general population study
AU - Skaaby, Stinna
AU - Flachs, Esben Meulengracht
AU - Lange, Peter
AU - Schlünssen, Vivi
AU - Marott, Jacob Louis
AU - Brauer, Charlotte
AU - Nordestgaard, Børge G.
AU - Sadhra, Steven
AU - Kurmi, Om
AU - Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Purpose: Recent studies suggest that occupational inhalant exposures trigger exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but findings are conflicting. Methods: We included 7,768 individuals with self-reported asthma (n = 3,215) and/or spirometric airflow limitation (forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/ forced expiratory volume (FVC) <0.70) (n = 5,275) who participated in The Copenhagen City Heart Study or The Copenhagen General Population Study from 2001-2016. Occupational exposure was assigned by linking job codes with job exposure matrices, and exacerbations were defined by register data on oral corticosteroid treatment, emergency care unit assessment or hospital admission. Associations between occupational inhalant exposure each year of follow-up and exacerbation were assessed by Cox regression with time varying exposure and age as the underlying time scale. Results: Participants were followed for a median of 4.6 years (interquartile range, IQR 5.4), during which 870 exacerbations occurred. Exacerbations were not associated with any of the selected exposures (high molecular weight sensitizers, low molecular weight sensitizers, irritants or low and high levels of mineral dust, biological dust, gases & fumes or the composite variable vapours, gases, dusts or fumes). Hazards ratios ranged from 0.8 (95% confidence interval: 0.7;1.0) to 1.2 (95% confidence interval: 0.9;1.7). Conclusion: Exacerbations of obstructive airway disease were not associated with occupational inhalant exposures assigned by a job exposure matrix. Further studies with alternative exposure assessment are warranted.
AB - Purpose: Recent studies suggest that occupational inhalant exposures trigger exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but findings are conflicting. Methods: We included 7,768 individuals with self-reported asthma (n = 3,215) and/or spirometric airflow limitation (forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/ forced expiratory volume (FVC) <0.70) (n = 5,275) who participated in The Copenhagen City Heart Study or The Copenhagen General Population Study from 2001-2016. Occupational exposure was assigned by linking job codes with job exposure matrices, and exacerbations were defined by register data on oral corticosteroid treatment, emergency care unit assessment or hospital admission. Associations between occupational inhalant exposure each year of follow-up and exacerbation were assessed by Cox regression with time varying exposure and age as the underlying time scale. Results: Participants were followed for a median of 4.6 years (interquartile range, IQR 5.4), during which 870 exacerbations occurred. Exacerbations were not associated with any of the selected exposures (high molecular weight sensitizers, low molecular weight sensitizers, irritants or low and high levels of mineral dust, biological dust, gases & fumes or the composite variable vapours, gases, dusts or fumes). Hazards ratios ranged from 0.8 (95% confidence interval: 0.7;1.0) to 1.2 (95% confidence interval: 0.9;1.7). Conclusion: Exacerbations of obstructive airway disease were not associated with occupational inhalant exposures assigned by a job exposure matrix. Further studies with alternative exposure assessment are warranted.
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0243826
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0243826
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33370308
AN - SCOPUS:85099115962
VL - 15
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 12
M1 - e0243826
ER -