RISK FACTORS FOR ASTHMA IN LABORATORY ANIMAL ALLERGY

其总体目标是受控的、前瞻性的、多学科的 这项研究是为了确定和调查与 对实验室过敏的个体发生哮喘的情况 职业环境中的动物。具体目标与 以下问题：1)是否存在过敏(症状和/或 敏感度)暴露前是哮喘的危险因素吗？2)家庭成员 病史和人口因素是哮喘的危险因素吗？3) 先前存在的呼吸道高反应性是危险因素，是否存在 呼吸道高反应性改变与哮喘之间的关系？4)什么 悬浮空气的数量和质量特征 选定地点的颗粒物，包括动物过敏原，以及 实验室工作人员接触特定可呼吸动物的水平 过敏原是危险因素吗？这项研究将在人群中进行 约翰·霍普金斯医疗机构的研究实验室工作人员 还有大学。研究对象将在三年半的时间内入伍。 当他们第一次来这里与实验动物一起工作时。他们将会是 每半年进行一次访谈、皮肤过敏试验、体外试验 关于血清总IgE和针对猪变应原的IgE抗体 主要实验动物和肺功能测试，包括 用乙酰甲胆碱支气管激发。环境样本将是 在JHMI内的选定地点和个人呼吸中收集 实验室工作人员样本的区域。可呼吸和不可呼吸 空气采样中滞留的悬浮颗粒物的分数 将对设备进行定性和定量分析，包括化验 针对特定的动物过敏原。我们将从以下方面估计风险敞口指数 个人工作记录和使用空气采样测量实际接触情况 设备。预计这些研究的结果将有助于 对我们理解哮喘的一般发病机制有重要意义 以及呼吸道高反应性在这种疾病中的作用。作为职业 哮喘是一个日益重要的问题，提高了对 风险因素和机制有望导致 成功预防疾病的有希望的新方法。

The overall objective of this controlled, prospective, multidisciplinary study is to identify and investigate risk factors associated with the development of asthma in individuals who develop allergy to laboratory animals in an occupational setting. Specific objectives relate to the following questions: 1) Is the existence of allergy (symptoms and/or sensitivity) prior to exposure a risk factor for asthma? 2) Are family history and demographic factors risk factors for asthma? 3) Is the pre-existence of airway hyperreactivity a risk factor and is there an association between changes in airway hyperreactivity and asthma? 4) What are the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of suspended airborne particulate matter, including animal allergens, at selected sites and 5) Is the level of exposure of laboratory workers to specific, respirable animal allergens a risk factor? The study will be conducted within the population of research laboratory workers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and University. Study subjects will be enlisted over a 3 1/2 year period when they first come here to work with laboratory animals. They will be evaluated semi-annually by interview, allergy skin tests, in vitro assays for total serum IgE and IgE antibodies specific for allergens of the principal laboratory animals, and pulmonary function tests including bronchial challenge with methacholine. Environmental samples will be collected at selected sites within the JHMI and in the personal breathing zones of a sample of laboratory workers. Both respirable and nonrespirable fractions of suspended particulate matter trapped in the air sampling devices will be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, including assays for specific animal allergens. We will estimate an Index of Exposure from personal work histories and measure actual exposure using air sampling devices. The results of these studies are expected to contribute significantly to our understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma in general and the role of airway hyperreactivity in this disorder. As occupational asthma is an increasingly important problem, improved understanding of the risk factors and mechanisms will hopefully lead to the development of promising new approaches to successful disease prevention.