Occupational asthma in welders and painters

We aimed to investigate the frequency of occupational asthma (OA) and the factors associated with OA development in a bicycle factory, subsequently after the diagnosis of OA in three workers at the same department. Forty one welders, 23 painters and 46 controls (office workers), a total number of 110 cases were included in the study. Turkish Thoracic Society Occupational and Environmental Diseases Evaluation Questionnaire and physical examination, chest-X ray, pulmonary function tests were performed as needed. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) follow-up was done in welders and painters. Cases having symptoms related with work and ≥ 20% PEF variability were diagnosed as OA. Wheezing were more frequent in welders and painters than the control group, although there wasn't a statisticall significance. Dyspnea, cough and sputum production were more frequent in welders and painters with respect to controls (p< 0.05). Nine (22%) welder, 4 (18%) painter were diagnosed as OA. Working duration of welders and painters with OA (72, 156 months, respectively) were longer than the welders and painters without OA (45, 76 months, respectively), but it did not have any statistically significance. We suggest that working in welding and painting departments may cause respiratory symptoms and OA.