Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort
Background: Indoor air dampness microbiota (DM) is a big health hazard. Sufficient evidence exists that exposure to DM causes new asthma or exacerbation, dyspnea, infections of upper airways and allergic alveolitis. Less convincing evidence has yet been published for extrapulmonary manifestations of...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Safety and Health at Work |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791119306419 |
| _version_ | 1797764760311169024 |
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| author | Saija Hyvönen Jouni Lohi Tamara Tuuminen |
| author_facet | Saija Hyvönen Jouni Lohi Tamara Tuuminen |
| author_sort | Saija Hyvönen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Indoor air dampness microbiota (DM) is a big health hazard. Sufficient evidence exists that exposure to DM causes new asthma or exacerbation, dyspnea, infections of upper airways and allergic alveolitis. Less convincing evidence has yet been published for extrapulmonary manifestations of dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome ). Methods: We investigated the prevalence of extrapulmonary in addition to respiratory symptoms with a questionnaire in a cohort of nurses and midwives (n = 90) exposed to DM in a Helsinki Obstetric Hospital. The corresponding prevalence was compared with an unexposed cohort (n = 45). Particular interest was put on neurological symptoms and multiple chemical sensitivity. Results: The results show that respiratory symptoms were more common among participants of the study vs. control cohort, that is, 80 vs 29%, respectively (risk ratio [RR]: 2.56, p < 0.001). Symptoms of the central or peripheral nervous system were also more common in study vs. control cohort: 81 vs 11% (RR: 6.63, p < 0.001). Fatigue was reported in 77 vs. 24%, (RR: 3.05, p < 0.001) and multiple chemical sensitivity in 40 vs. 9%, (RR: 3.44, p = 0.01), the so-called “brain fog”, was prevalent in 62 vs 11% (RR: 4.94, p < 0.001), arrhythmias were reported in 57 vs. 2.4% (RR: 19.75, p < 0.001) and musculoskeletal pain in 51 vs 22% (RR: 2.02, p = 0.02) among participants of the study vs. control cohort, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the exposure to DM is associated with a plethora of extrapulmonary symptoms. Presented data corroborate our recent reports on the health effects of moist and mold exposure in a workplace. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:00:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed99593585cd4b0d9808a60368201957 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2093-7911 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:00:21Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Safety and Health at Work |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed99593585cd4b0d9808a603682019572023-08-02T02:30:07ZengElsevierSafety and Health at Work2093-79112020-06-01112173177Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers CohortSaija Hyvönen0Jouni Lohi1Tamara Tuuminen2Työterveys Meditare, Finland; Corresponding author. Työterveys Meditare, Finland.Lapland Central Hospital, Department of Pathology, Finland; University of Oulu, FinlandMedical Center Kruunuhaka Oy, FinlandBackground: Indoor air dampness microbiota (DM) is a big health hazard. Sufficient evidence exists that exposure to DM causes new asthma or exacerbation, dyspnea, infections of upper airways and allergic alveolitis. Less convincing evidence has yet been published for extrapulmonary manifestations of dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome ). Methods: We investigated the prevalence of extrapulmonary in addition to respiratory symptoms with a questionnaire in a cohort of nurses and midwives (n = 90) exposed to DM in a Helsinki Obstetric Hospital. The corresponding prevalence was compared with an unexposed cohort (n = 45). Particular interest was put on neurological symptoms and multiple chemical sensitivity. Results: The results show that respiratory symptoms were more common among participants of the study vs. control cohort, that is, 80 vs 29%, respectively (risk ratio [RR]: 2.56, p < 0.001). Symptoms of the central or peripheral nervous system were also more common in study vs. control cohort: 81 vs 11% (RR: 6.63, p < 0.001). Fatigue was reported in 77 vs. 24%, (RR: 3.05, p < 0.001) and multiple chemical sensitivity in 40 vs. 9%, (RR: 3.44, p = 0.01), the so-called “brain fog”, was prevalent in 62 vs 11% (RR: 4.94, p < 0.001), arrhythmias were reported in 57 vs. 2.4% (RR: 19.75, p < 0.001) and musculoskeletal pain in 51 vs 22% (RR: 2.02, p = 0.02) among participants of the study vs. control cohort, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the exposure to DM is associated with a plethora of extrapulmonary symptoms. Presented data corroborate our recent reports on the health effects of moist and mold exposure in a workplace.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791119306419Dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndromeMoisture damaged buildingsMultiple chemical sensitivityMycotoxinsNeuroinflammation |
| spellingShingle | Saija Hyvönen Jouni Lohi Tamara Tuuminen Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort Safety and Health at Work Dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome Moisture damaged buildings Multiple chemical sensitivity Mycotoxins Neuroinflammation |
| title | Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort |
| title_full | Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort |
| title_fullStr | Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort |
| title_full_unstemmed | Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort |
| title_short | Moist and Mold Exposure is Associated With High Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms and MCS in a Finnish Hospital Workers Cohort |
| title_sort | moist and mold exposure is associated with high prevalence of neurological symptoms and mcs in a finnish hospital workers cohort |
| topic | Dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome Moisture damaged buildings Multiple chemical sensitivity Mycotoxins Neuroinflammation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791119306419 |
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