Cleaners again, but also flour, enzymes, textiles and metal fume exposures increase incidence of adult onset asthma

The incidence of asthma in a 1958 UK birth cohort has been studied prospectively to age 42. Those with asthma or wheezy bronchitis at ages 7, 11 or 16 were excluded. Those reporting asthma at any time at ages 33 and 42 were classed as incident adult onset asthma. An asthma specific job exposure matrix classified 18 high risk substances, three mixed exposures and an "irritant" group from job histories taken at ages 33 and 42. The risk of asthma was increased in cleaners and workers exposed to metal fumes, flour, enzymes and textiles. Workers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke such as waiters and bar workers also had an increased asthma risk.

This study overcomes the problems of missing asthma in childhood, and has had 2 separate occupational histories separates by 9 years giving the study a high chance of identifying jobs during early adult life. It concludes that the population attributable risk of occupations causing adult onset asthma is about 16%, in line with other estimates.

References

	Ghosh RE, Cullinan P, Fishwick D, Hoyle J, Warburton CJ, Strachan DP, Butland BK, Jarvis D, Asthma and occupation in the 1958 birth cohort, Thorax, 2013;68:365-371,

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