Table 3. A comparison of exposure characteristics according to diagnostic criteria (Definite/Probable vs. Unlikely).
| Exposure index | Definite/Probable (n = 4) | Unlikely (n = 12) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Airborne disinfectant exposure intensity (μg/m3) |
10.9 (± 2.6) | 10.4 (± 6.5) | 0.888 | |
| Airborne disinfectant exposure intensity during sleep (μg/m3) | 32.4 (± 8.7) | 17.3 (± 11.0) | 0.026a | |
| Use of HD during sleep (%) | 100% | 100% | NA | |
| Total months of use | 3.8 (± 1.5) | 17.6 (± 16.3) | 0.120 | |
| Age at initial exposure (months) | 3.5 (± 3.3) | 22.5 (± 26.2) | 0.039a | |
| Intense or intermittent use (%) | 100/0 | 33.3/66.7 | 0.077 | |
|
Distance between the bed and humidifier (%) |
D < 0.5 m | 0 | 16.7 | NA |
| 0.5 m ≤ D < 1 m | 0 | 16.7 | ||
| 1 m ≤ D < 2 m | 75 | 58.3 | ||
| 2 m ≤ D | 25 | 8.3 | ||
| Direction dispersed into room (%) | Forward | 50 | 63.6 | 1.000 |
| Diagonal | 50 | 36.4 | ||
HD, humidifier disinfectants; NA, not available; m, meter; D, distance.
a p < 0.05 depicts a statistically significant difference.