Medical surveillance programme for diisocyanate exposure

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Occupational asthma surveillance aims to mitigate asthma severity and associated costs.
• Diisocyanate exposure is a significant cause of occupational asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the severity and cost of diisocyanate-induced occupational asthma in workers within a surveillance program versus those diagnosed via physician referral.

Main Methods:

• A self-administered questionnaire identified potential cases, followed by methacholine testing and specific inhalation challenges for confirmation.
• 2897 workers participated; 20 had confirmed occupational asthma via surveillance and were compared to 66 controls.

Main Results:

• Screened subjects had better lung function (mean PC(20) 3.35 vs 1.50 mg/ml at diagnosis; 4.81 vs 1.67 mg/ml at 2 years).
• Clinical remission was higher in the screened group (34% vs 16%), with significantly lower functional impairment costs ($C11,900 vs $C19,600).

Conclusions:

• Medical surveillance programs for occupational asthma lead to improved clinical outcomes at diagnosis and long-term.
• These programs result in better patient health and reduced economic burden compared to standard diagnostic pathways.