Associations of cleaning-related occupational exposures with upper and LRTS among 21 professional female cleaners, for the entire study population and stratified by atopic status
| All study participants (N=312 person-days) | With atopy (N=119 person-days) | Without atopy (N=193 person-days) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| URTS score | LRTS score | URTS score | LRTS score | URTS score | LRTS score | ||||
| Cleaning product exposures | N* | MR (95% CI) | MR (95% CI) | N | MR (95% CI) | MR (95% CI) | N | MR (95% CI) | MR (95% CI) |
| No use of any product† | 112 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 46 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 66 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bleach | 172 | 1.7 (1.1 to 2.7) | 1.4 (0.9 to 2.1) | 69 | 2.0 (1.0 to 3.9) | 1.2 (0.7 to 2.0) | 103 | 1.4 (0.7 to 2.8) | 1.8 (0.9 to 3.6) |
| Liquid soap/detergent | 121 | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.5) | 1.8 (1.1 to 3.0) | 35 | 2.3 (1.0 to 5.1) | 1.2 (0.6 to 2.3) | 86 | 1.3 (0.7 to 2.3) | 3.2 (1.4 to 7.5) |
| Air freshener | 65 | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.7) | 1.4 (0.8 to 2.5) | 20 | 2.5 (1.1 to 5.6) | 1.1 (0.5 to 2.4) | 45 | 1.2 (0.6 to 2.4) | 1.8 (0.8 to 3.9) |
| Degreaser | 61 | 1.7 (0.9 to 3.3) | 1.5 (0.9 to 2.6) | 16 | 1.5 (0.4 to 5.5) | 1.0 (0.4 to 2.6) | 45 | 1.8 (0.8 to 4.0) | 2.2 (1.1 to 4.2) |
| Multiuse product | 58 | 1.4 (0.9 to 2.3) | 1.0 (0.6 to 1.8) | 24 | 2.1 (1.0 to 4.6) | 1.3 (0.6 to 2.5) | 34 | 1.1 (0.6 to 1.9) | 0.5 (0.2 to 1.2) |
| Limescale remover | 40 | 2.0 (1.2 to 3.5) | 1.3 (0.6 to 2.4) | 26 | 2.7 (1.2 to 6.2) | 1.2 (0.5 to 2.9) | 14 | 1.4 (0.6 to 3.2) | 1.5 (0.6 to 3.8) |
| Glass cleaner | 40 | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.5) | 1.0 (0.5 to 1.8) | 26 | 2.4 (1.1 to 5.4) | 1.2 (0.5 to 2.5) | 14 | 1.1 (0.6 to 2.0) | 0.5 (0.2 to 1.8) |
| Dust mop product | 37 | 1.5 (0.9 to 2.5) | 1.0 (0.5 to 2.1) | 8 | 2.7 (1.1 to 6.5) | 1.3 (0.5 to 3.2) | 29 | 1.0 (0.5 to 2.0) | 0.5 (0.1 to 2.2) |
| Powder soap/detergent | 31 | 2.5 (1.2 to 5.0) | 1.5 (0.6 to 3.8) | 16 | 7.2 (1.0 to 54.3) | 0.3 (0.0 to 4.2) | 15 | 2.5 (1.2 to 5.6) | 2.8 (1.0 to 8.0) |
| Ammonia | 21 | 2.3 (0.6 to 8.9) | 0.4 (0.1 to 1.4) | 19 | 2.8 (0.6 to 13.0) | 0.5 (0.1 to 2.0) | 2 | – | – |
| Solvent | 20 | 2.3 (0.3 to 16) | 2.4 (0.6 to 9.2) | 11 | 5.2 (0.3 to 98.4) | 0.8 (0.0 to 12.2) | 9 | 11.0 (0.3 to 455.1) | 4.6 (0.7 to 29.4) |
| Hydrochloric acid | 16 | 3.4 (0.8 to 14) | 1.9 (0.9 to 4.3) | 3 | – | – | 13 | 12.0 (1.1 to 136.3) | 2.5 (1.0 to 6.5) |
| Wax/polishes | 8 | 2.4 (0.9 to 6.2) | 1.4 (0.5 to 3.5) | 5 | 2.0 (0.7 to 5.6) | 1.3 (0.4 to 3.9) | 3 | – | – |
| Carpet cleaner | 2 | – | – | 0 | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Any irritant | 175 | 1.7 (1.1 to 2.6) | 1.4 (0.9 to 2.1) | 69 | 2.0 (1.0 to 3.9) | 1.2 (0.7 to 2.0) | 106 | 1.4 (0.7 to 2.8) | 1.8 (0.9 to 3.6) |
| Number of different products | |||||||||
| 1–3 | 103 | 1.4 (0.9 to 2.3) | 1.3 (0.9 to 2.0) | 36 | 1.0 (0.3 to 3.2) | 1.3 (0.7 to 2.4) | 67 | 1.3 (0.8 to 2.4) | 1.8 (0.9 to 3.6) |
| ≥4 | 97 | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.5) | 1.5 (0.9 to 2.3) | 37 | 2.5 (1.1 to 5.6) | 1.1 (0.5 to 2.2) | 60 | 1.3 (0.7 to 2.3) | 1.6 (0.8 to 3.3) |
| Number of different sprays | |||||||||
| 1–2 | 48 | 1.7 (0.9 to 2.9) | 1.4 (0.8 to 2.4) | 11 | 2.5 (1.0 to 6.5) | 0.8 (0.3 to 2.1) | 37 | 1.4 (0.6 to 3.1) | 1.8 (0.9 to 3.7) |
| ≥3 | 23 | 1.6 (1.0 to 2.6) | 1.4 (0.7 to 2.7) | 10 | 2.8 (1.2 to 6.7) | 1.3 (0.6 to 2.9) | 13 | 1.1 (0.6 to 2.1) | 0.6 (0.1 to 3.4) |
*N denotes the number of person-days with reported use of each product.
†Referent category. Numbers represent mean ratios (with 95% CIs) generated using exponentiated coefficients from logistic mixed models adjusted for age, having a cold or flu, number of cigarettes smoked and use of respiratory medication. A random intercept for participant was included in the models.
LRTS, lower respiratory tract symptoms; MR, mean ratios.