Comorbidity of Airway Inflammatory Diseases in Chemical and Building-Related Intolerance.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated comorbidity in chemical intolerance (CI) and building- related intolerance (BRI) with (i) chronic sinusitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergic and nonallergic asthma and allergic rhinitis, and (ii) airway inflammatory symptoms.

METHODS

Data from two population-based questionnaire surveys, the Västerbotten and Österbotten Environmental Health Studies, were used. The participants were categorized as CI or BRI and referents, and binary logistic regression analysis was applied.

RESULTS

Prevalence rates for the case groups were 7.2% to 40.0% for diseases and 24.3% to 68.9% for symptoms, whereas adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 3.4 to 26.1 for diseases and 3.3 to 17.0 for symptoms, all being significantly higher than unity. Prevalence rates and ORs were in general higher in BRI than in CI.

CONCLUSION

Inflammatory airway diseases and symptoms are associated with CI and BRI, which encourages further research regarding underlying mechanisms and treatments.