P-160 Comparison of occupational asthma characteristics related to high and low molecular weight agents

• Published in: Occupational and environmental medicine (London, England) England), 2023-03, Vol.80 (Suppl 1), p.A43-A43
• Main Authors: Moussa, Amen, Mersni, Meriem, Mechergui, Najla, Brahim, Dorra, Said, Hanen Ben, Bahri, Ghada, Ladhari, Nizar, Youssef, Imen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts; Allergens; Asthma; Economic analysis; Economic impact; Health problems; Impact analysis; Isocyanates; Low molecular weights; Medical records; Molecular weight; Occupational diseases; Occupational health; Patients; Phenotypes; Risk factors; Workers
• ISSN: 1351-0711; 1470-7926
• DOI: 10.1136/OEM-2023-EPICOH.103

IntroductionOccupational asthma (OA) is one of the major occupational health problems given its high prevalence and significant socio-economic impact. Several studies have focused on analyzing the differences between irritant-induced asthma and allergen-induced asthma, but few researchers have evaluated the impact of the molecular weight of allergens on asthma phenotype.ObjectiveTo describe the socio-professional characteristics of individuals with OA caused by low molecular weight agents (LMW) and those with OA caused by high molecular weight agents (HMW).MethodsBetween 2016 and 2022, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among asthmatic workers referred to the occupational medicine department of Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis for diagnostic and etiological exploration. Socio-professional data were collected from medical records. We have focused on the agents’ nature to which each was exposed in the course of his work to obtain two study groups A group of workers with asthma due to an LMW (G1) and a group of workers with asthma due to an HMW (G2). The analysis of the data was compared between the two groups.ResultsA total of 51 workers were included (G1=42; G2=9). The mean age was 47.78 ±9.2 years (G149.7 ±8.8 years; G242.7±8.3 years) with a female predominance in both groups (G1=56.8%; G2=71.4%). The mean occupational seniority was 21.33 ± 9 years (G122.3 ± 9.1 years; G218.7 ± 8.3 years). The average time between the onset of the first symptoms and the start of labor was G1 13.27±9.8 years and G2 8.38 ± 6.48 years. The most registered LMW agents were isocyanates (32.4%) and formaldehyde (27%). The most observed HMW agents were vegetable textile dust (78.6%).ConclusionMore large-scale studies are planned to analyze whether patients with (OA) caused by LMW agents differed from patients with OA caused by HMW with regard to risk factors, asthma presentation, and severity.