EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON RESPIRATORY ALLERGIC DISEASE AND BRONCHIAL HYPERREACTIVITY

近年来，包括哮喘在内的过敏性疾病在日本以及发达国家变得更加普遍。本研究的目的是阐明过敏性支气管哮喘和危险因素之间的多因素关系，包括特应性状态、吸入性过敏原暴露水平、个体生活方式和分子水平的生物学标志物。在暴露于钴（一种呼吸敏化剂）的工人队列中，支气管哮喘被强调为终点，并收集了与终点相关的指数数据。研究结果提示：接触致敏物可增加哮喘的危险性;哮喘的危险性也随致敏物的暴露水平呈剂量依赖性增加;特应性与哮喘的发作呈强正相关;吸烟和接触致敏物联合收割机的危险性相加导致哮喘。这些建议有助于预防过敏性疾病。

In recent times, allergic diseases, including asthma, have become much more prevalent in Japan as well as in developed countries. The present study was aimed at elucidating multifactorial relationships between allergic bronchial asthma and risk factors involvin atopic status, exposure levels of inhalant allergens, individual lifestyles, and biological markers at the molecular level. In the worker cohort exposed to cobalt, a respiratory sensitizer, bronchial asthma was highlighted as an endpoint and data on the indices relating the endpoint were collected. The following were suggested from the results of the sutdy : exposure to a sensitizer increases risk of asthma ; risk for asthma also increases with exposure level of the sensitizer in a dose-dependent manner ; atopy is strongly positively correlated with onset of asthma ; the risk of smoking and exposure to the sensitizer combine additively in leading to asthma. These suggestions are helpful for prevention of allergic diseases.