O-008 Autoimmune Diseases: Is There Linkage With Occupational Hazard Factors?

Introduction The precise causes of autoimmune diseases and how they develop remain unclear, and the impact of general exposure to external airborne agents (EAA) in the environment or workplace on autoimmune diseases has not been thoroughly studied. This research aimed to investigate the connection between EAA exposure and the likelihood of developing autoimmune diseases, considering different types of exposures. Methods The study utilized data from NHIS-NSC spanning from 2002 to 2019, covering a total of 17,984,963 person-years for analysis. Autoimmune diseases were categorized based on the InterLymph classification. Results Through logistic regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounding factors, the incidence and rate ratio of autoimmune diseases were estimated according to EAA exposure. Of the 1,082,879 participants, 86,376 (8.0%) were diagnosed with autoimmune diseases. Among these, 208 (14.1%) experienced severe exposure to EAA. Discussion Total EAA exposure was significantly associated with any autoimmune disease and organ-specific diseases. Inorganic dust exposure was associated with organ-specific diseases. Exposure to other dust was significantly associated with any autoimmune disease, connective tissue diseases, and organ-specific diseases. Exposure to EAA was predominantly related to psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes. Conclusion This study indicates that exposure to EAA could be considered a potential risk factor for autoimmune diseases, particularly psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes. These findings shed light on the potential role of severe airborne agents in the development of autoimmune diseases.