Prevalence of respiratory symptoms in dental technicians by duration of dental work in two groups according to the median
| Symptoms | Duration ≤15 y (n=67) | Duration >15 y (n=65) | OR (95% CI)* | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentages in parentheses. | ||||
| E, ever; LY, last year; SOB, shortness of breath. | ||||
| *Odds ratio (95% CI) for dental technicians with duration of dental work >15 years versus those with duration of exposure ≤15 years adjusted for smoking in two classes, sex, age, and exposure to asbestos in the past (having or not been exposed to asbestos in the past) by logistic regression analysis. | ||||
| †Student's t test. | ||||
| Mean age, y (SD) | 29.3 (8.3) | 44.1 (6.9) | 0.00001† | |
| Asthma (self reported) | 9 (13.4) | 8 (12.3) | 1.1 (0.2 to 5.5) | 0.9 |
| Asthma (doctor), E | 7 (10.4) | 6 (9.2) | 0.9 (0.1 to 5.8) | 0.9 |
| Attack of asthma, LY | 2 (3) | 2 (3.1) | 1.7 (0.1 to 47.2) | 0.7 |
| Medications for asthma | 3 (4.5) | 6 (9.2) | 2 (0.2 to 21.5) | 0.6 |
| Attack of SOB at rest, LY | 0 | 5 (7.7) | 0 | 0.2 |
| Woken by SOB, LY | 1 (1.5) | 1 (1.5) | 0.2 (0.1 to 9.9) | 0.4 |
| Woken by cough, LY | 5 (7.5) | 12 (18.5) | 2.4 (0.5 to 12.4) | 0.3 |
| Wheezing, LY | 3 (4.5) | 11 (16.9) | 7.1 (0.9 to 54.4) | 0.04 |
| Wheezing with breathlessness, LY | 2 (3) | 7 (10.8) | 6.4 (0.5 to 79.4) | 0.1 |
| Wheezing apart from a cold, LY | 2 (3) | 6 (9.2) | 2.8 (0.3 to 30.7) | 0.4 |
| Morning SOB, LY | 3 (4.5) | 10 (15.4) | 2.1 (0.3 to 15.2) | 0.4 |
| Usual morning cough | 4 (6) | 8 (12.3) | 2.7 (0.4 to 16.5) | 0.3 |
| Cough day and night | 6 (9) | 11 (16.9) | 1.8 (0.4 to 8.5) | 0.4 |
| Chronic cough | 2 (3) | 6 (9.2) | 3.4 (0.3 to 37.5) | 0.3 |
| Usual phlegm | 6 (9) | 8 (12.3) | 2.1 (0.4 to 11.5) | 0.4 |
| Chronic bronchitis | 2 (3) | 6 (9.2) | 4.1 (0.3 to 51.3) | 0.2 |
| Chronic cough or phlegm | 3 (4.5) | 11 (16.9) | 5.5 (0.8 to 38.6) | 0.06 |
| Dyspnoea | 10 (14.9) | 14 (21.5) | 0.6 (0.2 to 2.3) | 0.5 |