TY - JOUR
T1 - The prevalence of anti-latex IgE antibodies among registered nurses
AU - Grzybowski, Mary
AU - Ownby, Dennis R.
AU - Peyser, Patricia A.
AU - Johnson, Christine C.
AU - Schork, M. Anthony
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by a grant from the Baxter Health Care Corporation.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Background: Recent studies have reported that the prevalence of latex allergy among volunteer populations of health care workers ranges from 2% to 25%. To date, no epidemiologic study has investigated the prevalence of latex allergy and its relationship to possible risk factors among nurses. Methods: Registered nurses (n = 741) in a large metropolitan hospital participated in a latex allergy prevalence study. Latex exposure data were obtained through self-administered questionnaires. Blood samples were classified as positive or negative for anti-latex IgE antibodies. Associations between potential risk factors for latex allergy and anti-latex antibodies were assessed. Results: The participation rate was 90.6% among eligible nurses. Sixty-five samples were positive for a prevalence of 8.9% (95% confidence interval, 6.7 to 10.8). No differences in latex positivity among five nursing specialties were noted. Logistic regression indicated that after adjusting for age and sex, the following factors were significantly associated with latex seropositivity; nonwhite race (odds ratio [OR] = 4.2), reported histories of penicillin allergy (OR = 2.2), pruritic skin (OR =2.2), conjunctivitis (OR = 3.0), localized urticaria (OR = 1.8), hay fever (OR = 2.1), avocado allergy (OR = 9.9), and ragweed allergy (OR = 3.4). Conclusions: The prevalence of latex sensitization appeared to be substantial (8.9%) among the nurses studied, and the prevalence did not vary by nursing specialty. The factors associated with latex positivity in the logistic regression model correctly classified 81.3% of the nurses with a sensitivity and specificity of 66.7% and 82.7%, respectively.
AB - Background: Recent studies have reported that the prevalence of latex allergy among volunteer populations of health care workers ranges from 2% to 25%. To date, no epidemiologic study has investigated the prevalence of latex allergy and its relationship to possible risk factors among nurses. Methods: Registered nurses (n = 741) in a large metropolitan hospital participated in a latex allergy prevalence study. Latex exposure data were obtained through self-administered questionnaires. Blood samples were classified as positive or negative for anti-latex IgE antibodies. Associations between potential risk factors for latex allergy and anti-latex antibodies were assessed. Results: The participation rate was 90.6% among eligible nurses. Sixty-five samples were positive for a prevalence of 8.9% (95% confidence interval, 6.7 to 10.8). No differences in latex positivity among five nursing specialties were noted. Logistic regression indicated that after adjusting for age and sex, the following factors were significantly associated with latex seropositivity; nonwhite race (odds ratio [OR] = 4.2), reported histories of penicillin allergy (OR = 2.2), pruritic skin (OR =2.2), conjunctivitis (OR = 3.0), localized urticaria (OR = 1.8), hay fever (OR = 2.1), avocado allergy (OR = 9.9), and ragweed allergy (OR = 3.4). Conclusions: The prevalence of latex sensitization appeared to be substantial (8.9%) among the nurses studied, and the prevalence did not vary by nursing specialty. The factors associated with latex positivity in the logistic regression model correctly classified 81.3% of the nurses with a sensitivity and specificity of 66.7% and 82.7%, respectively.
KW - Latex allergy
KW - anti-latex IgE antibodies
KW - epidemiology
KW - nursing population
KW - prevalence
KW - risk factor
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U2 - 10.1016/S0091-6749(96)70087-8
DO - 10.1016/S0091-6749(96)70087-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 8828531
AN - SCOPUS:0029910160
SN - 0091-6749
VL - 98
SP - 535
EP - 544
JO - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
JF - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
IS - 3
ER -