Table 4.
HR and 95% CI of new-onset asthma in job-exposure groups of women according to the JEM for northern Europe adjusted for age and atopy. Atopics and non-atopics are adjusted for age.
| Job-exposure groups (women) | Person-years all | Asthma All/atopics/ non atopics | All exposed, adjusteda HR (95% CI) | Atopics, adjustedb HR (95% CI) | Non-atopics, adjustedb HR (95% CI) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referents | 75 564 | 174/107/67 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Any exposure in groups 1–4 | 38 718 | 107/66/41 | 1.2 | 0.95–1.6c | 1.2 | 0.9–1.7 | 1.2 | 0.8–1.7 |
| 1. HMW agents | 23 554 | 63/42/21 | 1.2 | 0.9–1.6 | 1.4 | 0.94–1.9 | 1.0 | 0.6–1.6 |
| Latex protein | 21 258 | 59/40/19 | 1.3 | 0.9–1.7 | 1.4 | 1.0–2.1 | 1.0 | 0.6–1.6 |
| Pharmaceutical product antigens | 4223 | 13/11/2 | 1.3 | 0.8–2.3 | 1.9 | 0.99–3.4 | NAd | NAd |
| 2. LMW agents | 3889 | 10/4/6 | 1.1 | 0.6–2.0 | 0.7 | 0.3–1.8 | 1.7 | 0.8–4.0 |
| Reactive chemicals | 2557 | 10/4/6 | 1.6 | 0.8–3.0 | 1.0 | 0.4–2.6 | 2.7 | 1.2–6.2c |
| 3. Irritating agents | 12 383 | 37/20/17 | 1.3 | 0.9–1.9 | 1.1 | 0.7–1.8 | 1.5 | 0.9–2.6 |
| Cleaning agents | 4752 | 21/10/11 | 2.0 | 1.2–3.0 | 1.5 | 0.8–2.9 | 2.6 | 1.4–5.0 |
| Textile dust | 1088 | 3/1/2 | 1.1 | 0.4–3.5 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Vehicle/motor exhaust | 2836 | 7/5/2 | 1.1 | 0.5–2.3 | 1.3 | 0.5–3.2 | NA | NA |
| ETS | 2417 | 9/5/4 | 1.6 | 0.8–3.1 | 1.4 | 0.6–3.5 | 1.9 | 0.7–5.2 |
| 5. Uncertain or low exposed | 6351 | 12/7/5 | 0.8 | 0.5–1.5 | 0.8 | 0.4–1.8 | 0.8 | 0.3–2.1 |
aadjusted for age and atopy
badjusted for age
c not significant if also adjusted for smoking
dNA=not applicable (<3 asthma cases).
No asthma cases were seen in women exposed to HMW agents from ‘Plant assoc. antigens, cereal, tobacco etc., ‘arthropods, mites bio-aerosols and enzymes’, LMW agents from acrylates, epoxy chemicals and diisocyanates, metal working fluids or accidental peak exposure to irritants (313–1176 p-years/group).
Asthma cases (<3) were seen in women exposed to HMW agents from ‘animal derived plants’, irritants from ‘wood and paper dusts’ and inorganic dusts and fumes (532–987 p-years/group).