Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort
Background Small airways obstruction (SAO) is a key feature of both COPD and asthma, which have been associated with workplace exposures. Whether SAO, which may occur early in the development of obstructive lung disease and without symptoms, also associates with occupational exposures is unknown. Me...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Respiratory Society
2023-05-01
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| Series: | ERJ Open Research |
| Online Access: | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/3/00650-2022.full |
| _version_ | 1797689373129441280 |
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| author | Johanna Feary Valentina Quintero-Santofimio James Potts Roel Vermeulen Hans Kromhout Ben Knox-Brown Andre F.S. Amaral |
| author_facet | Johanna Feary Valentina Quintero-Santofimio James Potts Roel Vermeulen Hans Kromhout Ben Knox-Brown Andre F.S. Amaral |
| author_sort | Johanna Feary |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Small airways obstruction (SAO) is a key feature of both COPD and asthma, which have been associated with workplace exposures. Whether SAO, which may occur early in the development of obstructive lung disease and without symptoms, also associates with occupational exposures is unknown.
Methods
Using UK Biobank data, we derived measurements of SAO from the 65 145 participants with high-quality spirometry and lifetime occupational histories. The ALOHA+ Job Exposure Matrix was used to assign lifetime occupational exposures to each participant. The association between SAO and lifetime occupational exposures was evaluated using a logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounders. A second logistic regression model was also run to account for potential co-exposures.
Results
SAO was present in varying proportions of the population depending on definition used: 5.6% (forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (FEF25–75) < lower limit of normal (LLN)) and 21.4% (forced expiratory volume in 3 s (FEV3)/forced expiratory volume in 6 s (FEV6) <LLN). After adjustment for confounders and co-exposures, people in the highest category of exposure to pesticides were significantly more likely to have SAO (FEV3/FEV6 <LLN: OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06–1.44). The association between pesticides and SAO showed an exposure-response pattern. SAO was also less likely among people in the highest exposure categories of aromatic solvents (FEV3/FEV6 <LLN: OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.73–0.99) and metals (FEV3/FEV6 <LLN: OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62–0.94).
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that occupational exposure to pesticides play a role in the SAO. However, further work is needed to determine causality, and identify the specific component(s) responsible and the underlying mechanisms involved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:44:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bfa18e3092f34500909f47d6800e8868 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-0541 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:44:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | European Respiratory Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ERJ Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-bfa18e3092f34500909f47d6800e88682023-09-09T13:53:53ZengEuropean Respiratory SocietyERJ Open Research2312-05412023-05-019310.1183/23120541.00650-202200650-2022Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank CohortJohanna Feary0Valentina Quintero-Santofimio1James Potts2Roel Vermeulen3Hans Kromhout4Ben Knox-Brown5Andre F.S. Amaral6 National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK Background Small airways obstruction (SAO) is a key feature of both COPD and asthma, which have been associated with workplace exposures. Whether SAO, which may occur early in the development of obstructive lung disease and without symptoms, also associates with occupational exposures is unknown. Methods Using UK Biobank data, we derived measurements of SAO from the 65 145 participants with high-quality spirometry and lifetime occupational histories. The ALOHA+ Job Exposure Matrix was used to assign lifetime occupational exposures to each participant. The association between SAO and lifetime occupational exposures was evaluated using a logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounders. A second logistic regression model was also run to account for potential co-exposures. Results SAO was present in varying proportions of the population depending on definition used: 5.6% (forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (FEF25–75) < lower limit of normal (LLN)) and 21.4% (forced expiratory volume in 3 s (FEV3)/forced expiratory volume in 6 s (FEV6) <LLN). After adjustment for confounders and co-exposures, people in the highest category of exposure to pesticides were significantly more likely to have SAO (FEV3/FEV6 <LLN: OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06–1.44). The association between pesticides and SAO showed an exposure-response pattern. SAO was also less likely among people in the highest exposure categories of aromatic solvents (FEV3/FEV6 <LLN: OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.73–0.99) and metals (FEV3/FEV6 <LLN: OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62–0.94). Conclusion Our findings suggest that occupational exposure to pesticides play a role in the SAO. However, further work is needed to determine causality, and identify the specific component(s) responsible and the underlying mechanisms involved.http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/3/00650-2022.full |
| spellingShingle | Johanna Feary Valentina Quintero-Santofimio James Potts Roel Vermeulen Hans Kromhout Ben Knox-Brown Andre F.S. Amaral Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort ERJ Open Research |
| title | Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort |
| title_full | Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort |
| title_fullStr | Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort |
| title_short | Occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the UK Biobank Cohort |
| title_sort | occupational exposures and small airway obstruction in the uk biobank cohort |
| url | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/9/3/00650-2022.full |
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