Office environment exposures may trigger asthma in some employees

Wide-ranging office work exposures were associated with the development of asthma in some employees, according to new research presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Causes of office-related occupational asthma ranged from printer and photocopier toner to cleaning agents to building ventilation.

“We have recognized an increase in the number of cases over recent years of work-related asthma in patients who work in offices,” Christopher C. Huntley, MBChB, MRCP, respiratory registrar and occupational lung studies clinical research fellow at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom, said during a presentation.

The Birmingham Occupational Lung Disease Service has recorded all new occupational lung disease diagnosis since 2000 in a clinical database. Researchers reviewed the database and identified 47 cases of occupational asthma in office workers. Huntley and colleagues then retrospectively reviewed these workers’ medical records to identify occupational asthma causes.

Occupational asthma causes were categorized as related to the internal office environment (n = 25; mean age, 48.1 years; 76% women), related to office ventilation systems (n = 7; mean age, 51.9 years; 28.6% women) or related to the external environments adjacent to the office (n = 11; mean age, 46.9 years; 90.9% women). Four cases were categorized with unknown means of occupational asthma exposure.

In those with internal office environment triggers, exposure to printer and photocopier toner was the most common cause of asthma, followed by floor adhesive (acrylates), cleaning agents, mold or damp objects, air fresheners or perfumes, office dust and cannabis. For those with office ventilation system triggers, air conditioning and Aspergillus containment was the most common cause, followed by incorrect installation of the ventilation shaft. For those with external environment triggers, exposure to isocyanates was the most common cause, followed by diesel fumes, paint, demolition dust, MDF, metal working fluid, nematocide and recycling waste, according to the results.

The researchers evaluated whether changes to the office environment would affect office workers. Results showed that office workers were 100 times more likely to quit their job if office employers failed to fix occupational exposures.

“In the COVID-19 pandemic, office workers have adapted to new working patterns and environments mainly at home,” Huntley said. “We already have seen the benefits of this in some patients with the resolution of symptoms and peak flow recording improvements. It remains to be seen if the risk of office-related occupational asthma alters as a result.”