Disease | Criteria for case definitions |
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (at least 4 of the 7 criteria must be met)16 | Onset of disease after December 2002 and: (1) physician diagnosis of EAA (probable or definite); (2) onset of at least two pulmonary symptoms (cough, wheeze, chest tightness, shortness of breath) and one systemic symptom (fever, weight loss); (3) a history of symptoms improving regularly on days away from work and deteriorating on return to work; (4) Restrictive pattern on spirometry: FVC <80% predicted and FEV1/FVC >70%; (5) pulmonary carbon monoxide transfer factor <80% predicted; (6) chest radiograph or CT scan showing interstitial, reticulonodular or mosaic pattern; (7) biopsy evidence of non-caseating granulomas and/or lymphocytosis on bronchoalveolar lavage |
Occupational asthma | Diagnostic peak expiratory flow record in 2003–5 (ie, OASYS score ⩾2.67 and/or a mean day interpreted difference between work and rest days of ⩾16 l/min)21 22 |
Humidifier fever | Onset of disease after December 2002 and a physician |
diagnosis based on: | |
Recurrent symptoms of a flu-like illness worst on first day of exposure after a break | |
No weight loss or radiological infiltrates | |
No long-term restrictive lung disease |
EAA, extrinsic allergic alveolitis; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity.