The Fate of Persons Affected by Occupational Asthma

Overview

The authors examined and analyzed a group of 132 patients suffering from occupational bronchial asthma at the average periodof 6.3 years after notification of the occupational disease. The group was constituted in 65% by women and in 35% by men. Theaverage exposure to etiological occupational noxae lasted 12.8 years. Flour, cow epithelia, isocyanates and textile fibers constitu-ted the main causal agents. Immediately after the disease was notified, 96% of the affected individuals were put out of the exposureto the etiological noxa. The origin of the occupational disease resulted in the loss of professional qualification in 31% of subjects,26 of the subjects with asthma re-qualified. Only 34% of the affected individuals remained with the original employer. The acquiredasthma forced 22% of persons to retire completely, while 20% of subjects retired partly. Only 6% of the subjects healed upcompletely without signs of asthma syndrome, a ventilation disorder was verified in 43%, a permanent anti-asthmatic pharmaco-therapy is required in 69% of the group. A significant improvement of the complaints since the subjects were found unfit for the riskwork was reported by 37% of the subjects. The basic follow-up care has been taken by allergologists and professionals in the areaof tuberculosis and respiratory diseases.

Key words:
occupational asthma, occupational diseases, invalidity, general health after discontinued exposure