Respiratory symptoms and airway inflammation associated with specific chemical agents and tasks used for patients’ skin/wound cleaning and disinfection in tertiary hospital health workers
| n (%) | Asthma symptom score† | Asthma symptom score (≥2 vs 0–1) | WRONS | WRAS | FeNO, ppb‡ (n=654) | FeNO≥50 ppb (n=654) | |
| Prevalence (%) (n=697) | 91 (13) | 109 (16) | 48 (7) | 41 (6) | |||
| Patients’ skin/wound cleaning and disinfection | 327 (47) | 1.06 (0.76 to 1.46) | 1.06 (0.64 to 1.77) | 1.20 (0.76 to 1.91) | 0.81 (0.41 to 1.61) | 1.10 (0.99 to 1.22) | 1.42 (0.68 to 2.96) |
| Disinfect skin areas on patients prior to procedure | |||||||
| Yes versus no | 253 (36) | 1.24 (0.91 to 1.69) | 1.37 (0.84 to 2.24) | 1.79 (1.14 to 2.81)* | 0.90 (0.45 to 1.77) | 1.03 (0.93 to 1.14) | 0.84 (0.41 to 1.71) |
| 0 min/week | 444 (74) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1–99 min/week | 96 (16) | 1.11 (0.72 to 1.73) | 1.14 (0.57 to 2.28) | 1.73 (0.92 to 3.28) | 1.25 (0.50 to 3.14) | 1.01 (0.88 to 1.16) | 0.40 (0.12 to 1.40) |
| ≥100 min/week | 58 (10) | 1.62 (0.98 to 2.68) | 2.46 (1.19 to 5.09)* | 2.23 (1.15 to 4.31)* | 0.45 (0.11 to 1.97) | 1.28 (1.08 to 1.52)* | 2.20 (0.83 to 5.85) |
| Clean and disinfect wounds | |||||||
| Yes versus no | 162 (23) | 0.97 (0.67 to 1.39) | 1.07 (0.62 to 1.86) | 1.23 (0.72 to 2.10) | 1.34 (0.62 to 2.91) | 1.05 (0.94 to 1.19) | 2.28 (1.06 to 4.91)* |
| 0 min/week | 535 (90) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1–99 min/week | 39 (6) | 0.85 (0.44 to 1.65) | 0.85 (0.30 to 2.40) | 0.32 (0.08 to 1.38) | 0.41 (0.05 to 3.14) | 1.10 (0.90 to 1.34) | 0.60 (0.08 to 4.74) |
| ≥100 min/week | 22 (4) | 1.52 (0.71 to 3.23) | 3.14 (1.17 to 8.41)* | 2.69 (1.03 to 7.01)* | 3.15 (0.95 to 10.41) | 1.32 (1.02 to 1.70)* | 6.95 (2.31 to 20.91)** |
| Apply wound dressing | |||||||
| Yes versus no | 143 (21) | 0.97 (0.66 to 1.41) | 0.95 (0.54 to 1.69) | 1.68 (0.97 to 2.91) | 1.42 (0.64 to 3.15) | 0.93 (0.82 to 1.06) | 0.75 (0.31 to 1.81) |
| 0 min/week | 554 (90) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1–99 min/week | 44 (7) | 0.93 (0.51 to 1.71) | 0.81 (0.30 to 2.20) | 0.91 (0.34 to 2.42) | 0.74 (0.17 to 3.26) | 1.12 (0.92 to 1.36) | 1.60 (0.51 to 5.01) |
| ≥100 min/week | 18 (3) | 1.03 (0.44 to 2.42) | 2.06 (0.70 to 6.06) | 2.92 (0.96 to 8.92) | 4.17 (1.19 to 14.64)* | 0.88 (0.66 to 1.18) | NC |
| Use adhesives | |||||||
| Yes versus no | 279 (40) | 1.19 (0.86 to 1.65) | 1.30 (0.78 to 2.18) | 1.42 (0.88 to 2.30) | 1.09 (0.54 to 2.21) | 1.02 (0.92 to 1.14) | 1.38 (0.65 to 2.93) |
| 0 min/week | 418 (69) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1–99 min/week | 154 (26) | 1.35 (0.93 to 1.96) | 1.32 (0.72 to 2.42) | 1.43 (0.82 to 2.50) | 0.62 (0.23 to 1.64) | 1.07 (0.95 to 1.21) | 1.53 (0.67 to 3.49) |
| ≥100 min/week | 30 (5) | 0.97 (0.49 to 1.93) | 1.64 (0.60 to 4.44) | 2.41 (1.00 to 5.82)* | 2.74 (0.93 to 8.10) | 1.04 (0.83 to 1.32) | 0.59 (0.07 to 4.77) |
| Use adhesive removing solvents | |||||||
| Yes versus no | 197 (28) | 1.26 (0.85 to 1.87) | 1.23 (0.68 to 2.22) | 1.30 (0.69 to 2.45) | 0.73 (0.29 to 1.82) | 1.02 (0.89 to 1.16) | 1.15 (0.47 to 2.80) |
| 0 mins/week | 500 (81) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1–99 min/week | 105 (17) | 1.46 (0.92 to 2.30) | 1.10 (0.55 to 2.21) | 1.24 (0.59 to 2.62) | 0.24 (0.05 to 1.15) | 1.09 (0.93 to 1.27) | 1.64 (0.62 to 4.37) |
| ≥100 min/week | 14 (2) | 1.42 (0.57 to 3.56) | 3.20 (0.93 to 10.99) | 2.52 (0.72 to 8.79) | 2.25 (0.43 to 11.85) | 0.98 (0.70 to 1.36) | NC |
Data are presented as OR (95% CI), unless otherwise indicated.
Adjusted for atopy, gender, smoking, age, study site and allergic sensitisation to natural rubber latex.
Bold values denote statistical significance at p<0.05 level.
*p<0.05, **p<0.01.
†Mean ratio (95% CI).
‡Geometric mean ratio (95% CI).
FeNO, fractional exhaled nitric oxide; NC, not calculable; WRAS, work-related asthma symptoms; WRONS, work-related ocular-nasal symptoms.