Cleaning products, disinfectants, adhesives, glues, solvents linked to asthma and asthma symptoms
THURSDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Nurses who are exposed to occupational cleaning products and disinfectants may have an increased risk of new-onset asthma, according to a report published online Jan. 22 in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Ahmed A. Arif, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and colleagues studied 448 Texas nursing professionals -- including 394 registered nurses, 25 licensed vocational nurses, 15 nurse aides and 14 nurse practitioners -- with an average seniority of 23.9 years.
After adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, atopy, smoking, body mass index and seniority, the researchers found that reported asthma was significantly increased among nursing professionals who cleaned medical instruments, were exposed to general cleaning products and disinfectants, or used powdered latex gloves during 1992-2000 (odds ratios, 1.67, 1.72 and 1.60, respectively). They also found that bronchial hyper-responsiveness symptoms were more common among nursing professionals who were exposed to general cleaning products/disinfectants or adhesives, glues and/or solvents (odds ratios, 1.57 and 1.51, respectively).
"The results support adopting an integrated approach towards reducing workplace exposures among nursing professionals," the authors write. "The substitution of powdered latex gloves with less allergenic alternatives appears to have reduced the risk of asthma. Substituting cleaning agents with environmentally friendly 'green chemicals' and using appropriate personal care protection could also help minimize occupational exposures in this professional group. Further studies are needed to evaluate the risk posed by the use of adhesives and solvents among nursing professionals."
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)