TY - JOUR
T1 - Atopy and upper and lower airway disease among former world trade center workers and volunteers
AU - De La Hoz, Rafael E.
AU - Shohet, Michael R.
AU - Wisnivesky, Juan P.
AU - Bienenfeld, Laura A.
AU - Afilaka, Aboaba A.
AU - Herbert, Robin
N1 - Funding Information:
The publication of this work was made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, cooperative agreement No. U10 OH008225.
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - OBJECTIVE:: A large number of workers seemed to have developed upper and lower airway disease (UAD and LAD, respectively) in relation to their occupational exposures at the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site. This study examined atopy as a risk factor for presumably WTC-related UAD and LAD. METHODS:: Atopy was examined in 136 former WTC workers and volunteers by radioallergosorbent test, skin prick testing, or both. Overall prevalence of atopy was estimated, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations of atopy with WTC-related UAD and LAD. RESULTS:: Atopy was prevalent in 54.4% of these WTC workers. Atopy was associated with higher symptom severity scores for both WTC-related UAD and LAD. Atopy was a predictor of WTC-related UAD but not LAD. Early arrival at the WTC site, and pre-2001 asthma diagnosis were predictors of LAD. CONCLUSION:: The prevalence of atopy in this population is similar to what has been described for the general U.S. population. Atopy seemed to be a risk factor for presumably WTC-related UAD but not for LAD.
AB - OBJECTIVE:: A large number of workers seemed to have developed upper and lower airway disease (UAD and LAD, respectively) in relation to their occupational exposures at the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site. This study examined atopy as a risk factor for presumably WTC-related UAD and LAD. METHODS:: Atopy was examined in 136 former WTC workers and volunteers by radioallergosorbent test, skin prick testing, or both. Overall prevalence of atopy was estimated, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations of atopy with WTC-related UAD and LAD. RESULTS:: Atopy was prevalent in 54.4% of these WTC workers. Atopy was associated with higher symptom severity scores for both WTC-related UAD and LAD. Atopy was a predictor of WTC-related UAD but not LAD. Early arrival at the WTC site, and pre-2001 asthma diagnosis were predictors of LAD. CONCLUSION:: The prevalence of atopy in this population is similar to what has been described for the general U.S. population. Atopy seemed to be a risk factor for presumably WTC-related UAD but not for LAD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349665406&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181b32093
DO - 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181b32093
M3 - Article
C2 - 19730399
AN - SCOPUS:70349665406
SN - 1076-2752
VL - 51
SP - 992
EP - 995
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 9
ER -