Odds ratios of self-reported acute symptoms by categorical and linear bioaerosol exposure among grain and animal feed industry workers in Norway
| Fatigue | Cough±phlegm | Wheeze/tight chest/dyspnoea | Nose symptoms | Eye symptoms | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bioaerosol exposure | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI |
| Grain dust (mg/m3) | ||||||||||
| 0 (referents) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 0.09–0.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 to 4.5 | 1.1* | 0.2 to 5.3 | – | – | 0.4 | 0.08 to 2.1 | 3.6 | 0.5 to 24 |
| 0.61–1.3 | 1.1 | 0.3 to 3.8 | 3.0* | 0.8 to 11 | 0.6† | 0.1 to 3.4 | 2.7 | 0.8 to 8.7 | 4.5 | 0.7 to 28 |
| 1.31–14 | 1.6 | 0.5 to 5.3 | 5.5* | 1.5 to 20 | 4.0† | 1.1 to 15 | 2.0 | 0.6 to 6.5 | 7.3 | 1.3 to 41 |
| per 10-fold increase‡ | 1.7§ | 0.5 to 5.8 | 3.6 | 1.0 to 13 | 26 | 3.2 to 213 | 2.5 | 0.7 to 8.8 | 2.0 | 0.5 to 7.8 |
| Endotoxin (EU/m3) | ||||||||||
| 0 (referents) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 15–350 | 1.1 | 0.3 to 3.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 to 6.9 | 0.7¶ | 0.1 to 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 to 3.0 | 3.2 | 0.5 to 21 |
| 360–1000 | 0.7 | 0.2 to 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.7 to 8.2 | 0.5¶ | 0.09 to 2.8 | 1.7 | 0.5 to 5.4 | 6.4 | 1.2 to 35 |
| 1200–11 000 | 3.4 | 1.0 to 12 | 5.7 | 1.5 to 21.8 | 4.0¶ | 1.0 to 16 | 2.6 | 0.7 to 9.3 | 6.2 | 1.0 to 38 |
| per 10-fold increase‡ | 1.8§ | 0.7 to 4.4 | 1.7 | 0.7 to 4.1 | 3.8 | 1.0 to 14 | 1.4 | 0.6 to 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.5 to 3.5 |
| Bacteria (#/m3) | ||||||||||
| 0 (referents) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 0.28×104–14.99×104 | 1.6 | 0.5 to 5.3 | 5.0 | 1.4 to 17 | 1.7 | 0.4 to 6.4 | 3.7 | 1.2 to 12 | 7.3 | 1.3 to 41 |
| 15×104–47×104 | 1.4 | 0.4 to 4.5 | 1.5 | 0.4 to 5.5 | 0.5 | 0.09 to 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 to 2.0 | 3.8 | 0.6 to 23 |
| 58×104–240×104 | 0.8 | 0.2 to 3.6 | 2.8 | 0.7 to 11 | 1.4 | 0.3 to 6.4 | 1.7 | 0.4 to 6.3 | 4.6 | 0.7 to 31 |
| per 10-fold increase‡ | 0.8§ | 0.4 to 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 to 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 to 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 to 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 to 2.3 |
| Fungal spores (#/m3) | ||||||||||
| 0 (referents) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 1×104–1.5×104 | 0.7 | 0.2 to 2.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 to 5.9 | – | – | 0.5 | 0.1 to 2.1 | 5.3 | 0.9 to 30 |
| 1.6×104–5.4×104 | 1.1 | 0.3 to 3.8 | 2.9 | 0.8 to 11 | 1.8 | 0.5 to 6.9 | 2.2 | 0.7 to 7.1 | 6.1 | 1.1 to 35 |
| 5.5×104–50×104 | 3.0 | 0.9 to 10 | 5.0 | 1.3 to 19 | 2.3 | 0.6 to 9.0 | 3.0 | 0.9 to 10 | 3.9 | 0.6 to 26 |
| per 10-fold increase‡ | 3.4§ | 1.1 to 10 | 3.2 | 1.1 to 9.4 | 3.7 | 1.0 to 13 | 4.4 | 1.4 to 14 | 1.1 | 0.3 to 3.6 |
| β-1,3-Glucans (µg/m3) | ||||||||||
| 0 (referents) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 0.30–3.60 | 0.8 | 0.2 to 2.8 | 1.7 | 0.4 to 6.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 to 3.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 to 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 to 20 |
| 3.70–18.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 to 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 to 6.8 | 0.8 | 0.2–3.5 | 1.4 | 0.4 to 4.5 | 6.4 | 1.2 to 35 |
| 19.0–150 | 2.6 | 1.0 to 6.9 | 9.0 | 2.2 to 37 | 2.8 | 0.7 to 11 | 3.0 | 0.8 to 11 | 6.8 | 1.1 to 43 |
| per 10-fold increase‡ | 1.5§ | 1.0 to 2.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 to 5.0 | 3.5 | 1.0 to 12 | 1.4 | 0.6 to 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 to 3.0 |
Bold values indicate p<0.05.
—too few samples in this category.
Associations are expressed as OR with 95% CIs when compared to referents (=OR 1). Workers without respiratory protective equipment (RPE), n=92.
*Adjusted for gender.
†Adjusted for gender and age.
‡Exposed workers only, n=56.
§OR for a 10-fold increase in exposure level
¶Adjusted for age.