Association of adult onset asthma with ever having worked in a low-risk exposure group (with and without a high-risk) by age 42
| Exposure group | Case/total | OR* | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combustion particles/fumes: vehicle/motor exhaust exposure | |||
| Reference group (always worked in non-exposed) | 147/1864 | 1.00 | – |
| Exposed to another ASJEM agent but not to combustion particles/fumes | 368/4005 | 1.28 | 1.04 to 1.57 |
| Ever combustion particles/fumes, never a high-risk exposure | 47/740 | 1.09 | 0.77 to 1.56 |
| Ever combustion particles/fumes plus ever a high-risk exposure | 77/797 | 1.65 | 1.21 to 2.24 |
| Possible exposure to irritants, gases or fumes | |||
| Reference group (always worked in non-exposed) | 147/1864 | 1.00 | – |
| Exposed to another ASJEM agent but not to possible irritants, gases or fumes | 272/3012 | 1.28 | 1.03 to 1.59 |
| Ever possible exposure to irritants, gases or fumes, never a high-risk exposure | 66/894 | 1.18 | 0.86 to 1.61 |
| Ever possible exposure to irritants, gases or fumes, plus ever a high-risk exposure | 154/1636 | 1.40 | 1.10 to 1.80 |
| Environmental tobacco smoke | |||
| Reference group (always worked in non-exposed) | 147/1864 | 1.00 | – |
| Exposed to another ASJEM agent but not to environmental tobacco smoke | 387/4593 | 1.27 | 1.03 to 1.56 |
| Ever high probability of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, never a high-risk exposure | 54/465 | 1.52 | 1.09 to 2.13 |
| Ever high probability of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, plus ever a high-risk exposure | 51/484 | 1.34 | 0.94 to 1.88 |
| Low probability of enough exposure for occupational asthma (low antigens) | |||
| Reference group (always worked in non-exposed) | 147/1864 | 1.00 | – |
| Exposed to another ASJEM agent but not to low antigens | 202/2269 | 1.32 | 1.05 to 1.66 |
| Ever low antigens, never a high-risk exposure | 127/1442 | 1.34 | 1.03 to 1.73 |
| Ever low antigens, plus ever a high-risk exposure | 163/1831 | 1.26 | 0.99 to 1.60 |
Within each analysis for each low-risk agent the exposure groups are mutually exclusive; they are not adjusted for exposure to any of the other low-risk agents in the table.
Bold type indicates conventional levels of statistical significance (p<0.05).
*Adjusted for sex, smoking, father's social class at birth, region and hay fever.
ASJEM, Asthma Specific Job Exposure Matrix.