Do aggravating rhinologic symptoms at work indicate occupational exposure? A cross-sectional outpatient clinic study

Air impurities can exacerbate or cause rhinologic diseases. However, only a few studies have assessed rhinologic patients' symptoms at work.

This study surveys the impact of work on rhinology clinic patients' quality of life in relation to work-related respiratory exposures. In addition, we surveyed patients' sick leave periods.

We recruited adult employed rhinology patients referred to the otorhinolaryngology clinic. A total of 177 patients were included. We collected data on patients' medical history, rhinologic disease-specific and generic quality of life, current or most recent job title, a description of current work, nasal symptoms, possible worked-related symptom triggers and sick leave periods during the preceding year.

In total, 101 (57.1%) patients reported exacerbated rhinologic symptoms at work and reported more severe rhinologic disease and a lower disease-specific quality of life compared to non-work-related rhinologic patients (P = 0.008). A minority, 24.3% of our patients were exposed to any specific occupational respiratory sensitizer or irritant at work. The mean sick leave period due to rhinologic disease was 7.7 days per year.

Exposure to specific occupational sensitizers or irritants did not associate with increasing symptoms at work or quality of life amongst our patients. Most rhinology patients reported exacerbated symptoms at work. They appeared to be more symptomatic than the rest of the patients and, therefore, possibly hyperreactive to unspecific respiratory triggers at work. Rhinologic diseases caused our patients a marked burden with high work absenteeism.