Respiratory Health and Allergy Among Young Farmers and Non-Farming Rural Males in Denmark

Sigsgaard, Torben; Hjort, Charlotte; Omland, Øyvind; Miller, Martin

doi:10.1300/j096v04n01_09

Cited by 30 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Asthma symptoms was defined if the subject answered yes to at least one group A question and two or more group B questions or at least two group A questions (table 1) [3,15]. Chronic bronchitis was defined as expectoration on most days during o3 months consecutively for .2 yrs consecutively according to UK Medical Research Council guidelines [13].…”

Section: Health Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased incidence of respiratory symptoms among female woodworkers exposed to dry wood

Jacobsen¹,

Schlünssen²,

Schaumburg³

et al. 2009

European Respiratory Journal

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The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of new respiratory symptoms in relation to wood dust exposure in a 6-yr follow-up study.A total of 1,377 woodworkers (1,137 males; 240 females) and 297 reference workers (137 males; 160 females) participated. Data on respiratory symptoms, employment and smoking habits were collected. Wood dust exposure was assessed from baseline dust measurements, and cumulative wood dust exposure was assessed by study-specific job exposure matrices and exposure time.The geometric mean (geometric SD) dust level decreased during the study period from 0.94 (2.1) to 0.60 (1.6) mg?m -3 . Adjusted analysis revealed positive associations for cumulative incidence proportion of chronic bronchitis and daily coughing for female woodworkers versus female reference workers. The cumulative incidence proportion of daily coughing and chronic bronchitis were found to be associated with baseline wood dust exposure in a dose-dependent manner. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for daily coughing (with reference to the lowest exposure quartile) was 1.6 (0.6-4.3), 3.2 (0.9-6.8) and 3.8 (1.5-9.7), respectively, in the second and third lowest and the highest quartile. The figures for chronic bronchitis were, accordingly, 2.3 (0.4-14.5), 3.0 (0.5-18.7) and 6.0 (1.2-28.8).In conclusion, female woodworkers in this low exposure cohort showed an increased incidence of coughing and bronchitis, whereas no relations to wood dust exposure were seen for male woodworkers.

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Section: Health Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased incidence of respiratory symptoms among female woodworkers exposed to dry wood

Jacobsen¹,

Schlünssen²,

Schaumburg³

et al. 2009

European Respiratory Journal

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“…The demographic data from the study have been reported previously [10], and will only briefly be described here. The age and sex distribution of the nonparticipants did not differ from that among the participants.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

S and Z alpha1-antitrypsin alleles are risk factors for bronchial hyperresponsiveness in young farmers: an example of gene/environment interaction

Sigsgaard¹,

Brandslund²,

Omland³

et al. 2000

Eur Respir J

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Several studies have found an association between the rare Pi-alleles and asthma or bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). This study deals with the effect of Pi-type on BHR among 2,308 young Danish people living in rural areas with a meanSD age of 19.72.4 yrs.Interviews, pulmonary function testing, bronchial histamine provocation and skinprick tests were performed. Serum a 1 -antitrypsin levels were determined and phenotyping was performed by means of isoelectric focusing and the subjects categorized into four groups: 1) MM and MX; 2) MS; 3) MZ; and 4) rare, i.e. SZ, SS and ZZ.Among the farmers, a significant positive trend for sensitization towards house dust mites was found, ranging from 12% in the MM group to 22% in the rare Pi-group. A positive test for trend was found within the Pi-groups in a one-sided test for doctordiagnosed asthma with a peak prevalence of 40% for these symptoms among smokers in the rare Pi-group. On multiple logistic regression analysis, an increased odds ratio (OR) for BHR was found among farming school attendants with the rare Pi-alleles. The OR (95% confidence interval) was 1.71 (0.84±3.49) for MS, 1.93 (1.10±3.39) for MZ and 4.34 (1.19±15.8) for the rare Pi-group. Such a relationship was not found among the conscripts.These results show that a gene/environment interaction may exist between the farming occupation and the rare Pi-alleles, leading to a higher proportion of bronchial hyperresponsiveness related to the rare Pi-alleles in farming school attendants, in contrast to what is found among other young people living in rural areas. Eur Respir J 2000; 16: 50±55. The antiprotease a 1 -antitrypsin (a 1 -AT) has, since 1963, been known to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung diseases and emphysema [1]. Since then several studies have investigated a possible link between asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and Piphenotypes. The most-studied alleles with low a 1 -AT levels are the two most common types, S and Z. COLE et al.[2] and studied the association between a 1 -AT phenotype and pulmonary symptoms in the working population. They found no association with respiratory symptoms, for either S or Z heterozygous persons, whereas, in a study of cotton workers, an increased risk of respiratory symptoms among the MZ heterozygous was found, after control for other factors, i.e. smoking, sex and exposure [4].A history of asthma among close relatives was found to be more common among the heterozygous in one study [5], and, in another study, the odds ratio (OR) for familial atopy was increased among persons with the Pi-MZ phenotype [4].Asthma has been found to be associated with the Z allele in some studies and the S allele in others [5±7]. However, the association between asthma and the S or Z alleles could not be confirmed in other studies. A recent study of a 1 -AT and BHR found the S allele to be associated with hyperresponsiveness [8], indicating that the underlying mechanism for the association with asthma might be inflammation.Allergy measured a...

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“…Their motivations for working vary greatly and many young workers are still enjoying "being-young," yet at the same time many are in a transition period from "school to work," and "youth to adulthood," As active parts of the labour market, young workers are a vulnerable group, at high risk of occupational injury and exposure to substances and working conditions that can result in occupational disease and health problems later on in life. [1][2][3][4][5][6] The objective of this report is to give an overview of what is currently known about young workers' employment and occupational safety and health in the Nordic countries. The purpose of the report is also to identify information gaps and provide new insight in setting priorities for future measures to be taken in collaborative efforts between employers, managers, supervisors, work colleagues, labour inspectors, educators, researchers, occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals, policymakers, representatives of governmental and private interests, parents and the young workers.…”

Section: Background and Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young workers’ occupational safety and health risks in the Nordic countries

Bengtsen¹,

Framke²,

Kines³

et al. 2013

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Respiratory Health and Allergy Among Young Farmers and Non-Farming Rural Males in Denmark

Abstract: The respiratory health of 230 female and 1,734 male farming students (FS) and 407 male rural controls was analyzed. A Torben Sigsgaard is Associate Professor, Charlotte Hjort and Øyvind Omland

Cited by 30 publications

References 20 publications

Increased incidence of respiratory symptoms among female woodworkers exposed to dry wood

Increased incidence of respiratory symptoms among female woodworkers exposed to dry wood

S and Z alpha1-antitrypsin alleles are risk factors for bronchial hyperresponsiveness in young farmers: an example of gene/environment interaction

Young workers’ occupational safety and health risks in the Nordic countries

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