Occupational Asthma: The Knowledge Needs for a Better Management

Abstract

The management of occupational asthma (OA) may be influenced by several factors and removal from exposure is the main tertiary prevention approach, but it is not always feasible without personal and socioeconomic consequences. Reducing the delay between the onset of suggestive symptoms of OA and the diagnosis of OA is associated with a better prognosis. Workers’ education to increase awareness to trigger agents and a medical surveillance program directed especially at at-risk workers could be helpful in reducing this latency time. An early identification of workers who develop rhinitis and conjunctivitis which often precede the onset of asthma symptoms could be important for an early identification of OA. This is particularly important for cases of asthma caused by high-molecular-weight sensitizers and in the early years of employment. The availability of financial support and compensation measures for workers with OA may influence the latency time before diagnosis and, consequently, may influence the OA outcomes. In conclusion, there is a need for high-quality cohort studies that will increase knowledge about risk factor that may influence the timing of diagnosis of OA. This knowledge will be useful for implementation of future surveillance and screening programs in workplaces.

Recent developments in occupational asthma

“…OA can also lead to significant negative socioeconomic impacts [1 ▪▪ ,36]. Roio et al [33 ▪ ] showed that patients with WRA had an overall reduced income after their diagnosis compared to patients with nonwork-related asthma.…”

The Influence of Treatment Tactics on the Level of Quality of Life and the Condition of the Nasal Cavity in Patients With Chronic Atrophic Rhinitis Provoked by Harmful Production Conditions

“…Scientists have determined that various types of occupational hazards (dust, gases, smoke, vapors, and others) that can act in the workplace can cause the development of AR through immunological or irritating non-immunological mechanisms [2][3][4]. This position is supported by the working group of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, which pointed out the close interaction between the upper and lower respiratory tracts and proposed the appropriate classification of AR subphenotypes, which is similar to occupational asthma [5][6][7].…”