Farm Exposure as a Differential Risk Factor in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
Abstract
To investigate the association of farm exposure and the development of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). One hundred eighty-nine well defined patients with AAV (n = 119 with granulomatosis with polyangiitis [GPA], n = 48 with microscopic polyangiitis [MPA], n = 22 patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis [EGPA]) and 190 controls (n = 119 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, n = 71 with large vessel vasculitis) were interrogated using a structured questionnaire. Factors investigated were occupation, farm exposure, contact to different livestock, participation in harvesting, residence next to a farm, MRSA status, and contact to domestic pets at disease onset or ever before. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval [95%CI] were calculated for each item. Univariate analysis revealed a strong association of AAV with regular farm exposure; OR 3.44 [95%CI 1.43-8.27]. AAV was also associated with regular contact to cattle 4.30 (1.43-8.27), pigs 2.75 (1.12-6.75) and MRSA carriage 3.38 (1.11-10.3). This association was stronger in the subgroup of GPA patients. OR in this group for farm exposure was 4.97; [2.02-12.2], for cattle 6.71 [95% CI 2.19-20.7], for pigs 4.34 [1.75-10.9], and MRSA carriage 5.06 [1.62-15.8]...Continue Reading
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