Evaluation and Application of the Work-Related Asthma Screening Questionnaire-Long Version (WRASQ[L])

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Work-related asthma (WRA) recognition can be improved using screening tools.
• The Work-related Asthma (WRA) Screening Questionnaire-Long Version (WRASQ(L)) is a validated instrument for this purpose.

Purpose of the Study:

• To definitively evaluate the WRASQ(L) for clinical implementation.
• Assess the diagnostic accuracy of the WRASQ(L) in identifying WRA.

Main Methods:

• Employed adults (18-75 years) with confirmed asthma were enrolled.
• Participants completed the WRASQ(L) followed by objective asthma assessments (peak expiratory flow or inhalation challenge).
• Asthma specialists, blinded to questionnaire responses, classified cases as WRA or non-WRA.

Main Results:

• 106 participants (17% with WRA) were analyzed; WRA cases were younger.
• The WRASQ(L) demonstrated high sensitivity (90.9%) and negative predictive value (93.1%).
• Lower specificity (26.0%) and positive predictive value (32.1%) were observed.

Conclusions:

• The WRASQ(L) exhibits high sensitivity and NPV, crucial for identifying potential WRA cases.
• Its high sensitivity supports utility in clinical settings for referring patients for further evaluation.
• The questionnaire can facilitate education on symptom-workplace links and occupational history collection.