Researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC; Charlotte, USA) compared a cross-sectional survey of asthma to a representative sample of 3,650 nurses with active licenses, physicians, respiratory therapists, and occupational therapists working in Texas (USA); the response rate among nurses was 70%. Outcome variables were physician-diagnosed new-onset asthma after entry into the health care profession and symptoms associated with bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR). Occupational exposures were ascertained through an externally developed job-exposure matrix, grouped into four categories: cleaning-related tasks, use of powdered latex gloves, administration of aerosolized medications, and tasks involving adhesive compounds, glues, and solvents.

The results showed that after adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity, atopy, smoking, body mass index (BMI), and seniority, reported asthma was significantly greater among nursing professionals involved in medical instrument cleaning and exposure to general cleaning products and disinfectants. Use of powdered latex gloves between the years 1992 to 2000 was associated with 1.6 times the odds of reported asthma, but not thereafter. In the univariate analysis, exposure to adhesives, glues, and solvents was associated with a two-fold increase in the odds of reported asthma, but not after adjustment for covariates. Similarly, the odds of BHR-related symptoms were significantly greater among nursing professionals exposed to general cleaning products and disinfectants and adhesives, glues, and solvents. The study was published online ahead of print on January 22, 2009 in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM).

"Substituting cleaning agents with environmentally friendly 'green chemicals' and using appropriate personal care protection could help minimize occupational exposures in this professional group,” concluded lead author Ahmed Arif Ph.D., and colleagues of the department of Public Health Sciences.

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