Journal article
Can serum cytokine profile discriminate irritant-induced and allergen-induced symptoms? A cross-sectional study in workers mostly exposed to laboratory animals.
- Lemaire M de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
- Oppliger A Institute for Work and Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Hotz P Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, EBPI, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Renauld JC de Duve Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
- Braun J Department of Biostatistics, EBPI, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Maggi M Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, EBPI, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Barresi F Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, EBPI, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Schmid-Grendelmeier P Department of Dermatology, Allergy Unit, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Huaux F Louvain Centre for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
- Dressel H Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, EBPI, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- 2017-04-19
Published in:
- Occupational and environmental medicine. - 2017
allergy
animal technicians
cytokines
Adolescent
Adult
Animals
Animals, Laboratory
Cross-Sectional Studies
Cytokines
Female
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin E
Interleukins
Interviews as Topic
Male
Mice
Middle Aged
Occupational Diseases
Occupational Exposure
Rats
Regression Analysis
Spirometry
Universities
Young Adult
English
BACKGROUND
In workers exposed mostly to laboratory animals (LA), symptoms may be due to irritants or allergens. Correct aetiological diagnosis is important for health surveillance.
OBJECTIVES
This study aims to test whether work-related (WR) allergen-induced symptoms are associated with a cytokine profile distinct from that due to irritants.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional study (n=114), WR respiratory and/or skin symptoms were assessed through a standardised clinical examination and sensitisation to rat and/or mouse allergen determined by serum immunoglobulin E. Serum cytokine concentrations were measured by multiplex assays. The predefined cytokine profiles 'sensitiser' (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-1) and 'irritation' (IL-8, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22) were considered positive, when ≥3 concentrations exceeded the 95th percentile of the asymptomatic non-sensitised group. Results were examined by hierarchical clustering analyses (HCA) and multiple linear regression. Explorative analyses were carried out for nine additional cytokines. Exposure to allergens and endotoxin was assessed in a subpopulation.
RESULTS
The prevalence of the profile 'irritation' was comparable in 28 symptomatic non-sensitised workers and 71 asymptomatic non-sensitised workers. HCA showed that nearly all symptomatic non-sensitised workers were gathered in two subclusters, characterised by high IL-17A levels, but different IL-8 levels. Multiple linear regression identified drug consumption and current complaints as confounders. Sensitised subjects were too few (n=14) for testing the profile 'sensitiser'.
CONCLUSIONS
In this unselected population of LA workers, the profile 'irritation' did not prove to be a valuable health surveillance tool. Low power precluded assessment of the profile 'sensitiser'. The increased IL-17A concentration may originate from irritative constituents of organic dust.
In workers exposed mostly to laboratory animals (LA), symptoms may be due to irritants or allergens. Correct aetiological diagnosis is important for health surveillance.
OBJECTIVES
This study aims to test whether work-related (WR) allergen-induced symptoms are associated with a cytokine profile distinct from that due to irritants.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional study (n=114), WR respiratory and/or skin symptoms were assessed through a standardised clinical examination and sensitisation to rat and/or mouse allergen determined by serum immunoglobulin E. Serum cytokine concentrations were measured by multiplex assays. The predefined cytokine profiles 'sensitiser' (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-1) and 'irritation' (IL-8, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22) were considered positive, when ≥3 concentrations exceeded the 95th percentile of the asymptomatic non-sensitised group. Results were examined by hierarchical clustering analyses (HCA) and multiple linear regression. Explorative analyses were carried out for nine additional cytokines. Exposure to allergens and endotoxin was assessed in a subpopulation.
RESULTS
The prevalence of the profile 'irritation' was comparable in 28 symptomatic non-sensitised workers and 71 asymptomatic non-sensitised workers. HCA showed that nearly all symptomatic non-sensitised workers were gathered in two subclusters, characterised by high IL-17A levels, but different IL-8 levels. Multiple linear regression identified drug consumption and current complaints as confounders. Sensitised subjects were too few (n=14) for testing the profile 'sensitiser'.
CONCLUSIONS
In this unselected population of LA workers, the profile 'irritation' did not prove to be a valuable health surveillance tool. Low power precluded assessment of the profile 'sensitiser'. The increased IL-17A concentration may originate from irritative constituents of organic dust.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1136/oemed-2016-104137
- PMID 28416643
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/47544
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