Bobette Matulonga1, Marta Rava2, Valérie Siroux3, Alfred Bernard4, Orianne Dumas5, Isabelle Pin6, Jan-Paul Zock7, Rachel Nadif5, Bénédicte Leynaert8, Nicole Le Moual5. 1. Inserm, UMR 1152, Pathophysiology and Epidemiology of Respiratory Diseases, Epidemiology Team, F-75890, Paris, France; Univ Paris-Saclay, Faculty of Medicine, Kremlin-Bicêtre, France. 2. Inserm, U1168, VIMA: Aging and Chronic Diseases, Epidemiological and Public Health Approaches, F-94807, Villejuif, France; Univ Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, UMR-S 1168, F-78180, Montigny le Bretonneux, France; Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid, Spain. 3. University Grenoble Alpes, IAB, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, F-38042, Grenoble, France; Inserm U823, IAB, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, F-38042, Grenoble, France. 4. Louvain Center for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (LTAP), Catholic University of Louvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. 5. Inserm, U1168, VIMA: Aging and Chronic Diseases, Epidemiological and Public Health Approaches, F-94807, Villejuif, France; Univ Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, UMR-S 1168, F-78180, Montigny le Bretonneux, France. 6. University Grenoble Alpes, IAB, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, F-38042, Grenoble, France; Inserm U823, IAB, Team of Environmental Epidemiology Applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, F-38042, Grenoble, France; CHU de Grenoble, La Tronche, F-38043, Grenoble, France. 7. Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. 8. Inserm, UMR 1152, Pathophysiology and Epidemiology of Respiratory Diseases, Epidemiology Team, F-75890, Paris, France; University Paris Diderot Paris 7, UMR 1152, F-75890, Paris, France. Electronic address: benedicte.leynaert@inserm.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bleach is widely used for household cleaning. Although it is recognized that occupational use of bleach may have adverse respiratory health effects, it is unknown whether common domestic use of bleach may be a risk factor for asthma. AIM: To assess whether the domestic use of bleach for home cleaning is associated with asthma and other respiratory outcomes. METHODS: Questionnaire-based information on respiratory symptoms and cleaning habits and data from skin prick-tests, bronchial responsiveness challenge and white blood cells were analyzed in 607 women participating in the follow-up of the Epidemiological Study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (EGEA). Bleach use was evaluated in 3 categories (<1 day/week; 1-3 days/week; 4-7 days/week "frequent"). RESULTS: Overall, 37% of the women reported using bleach weekly. Women using bleach frequently (11%) were more likely to have current asthma as compared to non-users (adjusted Odds-Ratio (aOR) = 1.7; 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI) 1.0-3.0). Among women with asthma, frequent use of bleach was significantly associated with higher blood neutrophil cell counts. Bleach use was significantly associated with non-allergic asthma (aOR 3.3; 95%CI 1.5-7.1), and more particularly with non-allergic adult-onset asthma (aOR 4.9; 95%CI 2.0-11.6). Consistently, among women without allergic sensitization, significant positive associations were found between use of bleach and bronchial hyperresponsiveness, asthma like-symptoms and chronic cough. No association was observed for allergic asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent use of bleach for home-cleaning is associated with non-allergic adult-onset asthma, elevated neutrophil counts and lower-airway symptoms in women.
BACKGROUND:Bleach is widely used for household cleaning. Although it is recognized that occupational use of bleach may have adverse respiratory health effects, it is unknown whether common domestic use of bleach may be a risk factor for asthma. AIM: To assess whether the domestic use of bleach for home cleaning is associated with asthma and other respiratory outcomes. METHODS: Questionnaire-based information on respiratory symptoms and cleaning habits and data from skin prick-tests, bronchial responsiveness challenge and white blood cells were analyzed in 607 women participating in the follow-up of the Epidemiological Study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (EGEA). Bleach use was evaluated in 3 categories (<1 day/week; 1-3 days/week; 4-7 days/week "frequent"). RESULTS: Overall, 37% of the women reported using bleach weekly. Women using bleach frequently (11%) were more likely to have current asthma as compared to non-users (adjusted Odds-Ratio (aOR) = 1.7; 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI) 1.0-3.0). Among women with asthma, frequent use of bleach was significantly associated with higher blood neutrophil cell counts. Bleach use was significantly associated with non-allergic asthma (aOR 3.3; 95%CI 1.5-7.1), and more particularly with non-allergic adult-onset asthma (aOR 4.9; 95%CI 2.0-11.6). Consistently, among women without allergic sensitization, significant positive associations were found between use of bleach and bronchial hyperresponsiveness, asthma like-symptoms and chronic cough. No association was observed for allergic asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent use of bleach for home-cleaning is associated with non-allergic adult-onset asthma, elevated neutrophil counts and lower-airway symptoms in women.
Authors: Orianne Dumas; Krislyn M Boggs; Catherine Quinot; Raphaëlle Varraso; Jan-Paul Zock; Paul K Henneberger; Frank E Speizer; Nicole Le Moual; Carlos A Camargo Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2019-11-06 Impact factor: 2.214
Authors: Mon H Tun; Hein M Tun; Justin J Mahoney; Theodore B Konya; David S Guttman; Allan B Becker; Piush J Mandhane; Stuart E Turvey; Padmaja Subbarao; Malcolm R Sears; Jeffrey R Brook; Wendy Lou; Tim K Takaro; James A Scott; Anita L Kozyrskyj Journal: CMAJ Date: 2018-09-17 Impact factor: 8.262
Authors: Pierre Lemire; Sofia Temam; Sarah Lyon-Caen; Catherine Quinot; Etienne Sévin; Sophie Remacle; Karine Supernant; Rémy Slama; Orianne Dumas; Valérie Siroux; Nicole Le Moual; The Sepages Study Group Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-03-24 Impact factor: 3.390