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Rationale: Asthma is often work-related and can be classified as atopic or nonatopic on the basis of its pathogenesis. Few studies have reported an association between exposure to occupational asthmogens and asthma with and without atopy. Objectives: We investigated, in adults with asthma, whether occupational exposure to asthmogens influenced the risk of having atopic or nonatopic asthma, and their level of lung function. Methods: We recruited 504 hospital-based adults with current asthma, 504 community-based control subjects, and 504 hospital-based control subjects in southern Taiwan. Asthma with atopy was defined as having asthma in combination with an increase in total IgE (>=100 U/ml) or a positive Phadiatop test (>=0.35 Pharmacia arbitrary unit/L) (Pharmacia ImmunoCAP; Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden). Occupational exposure to asthmogens was assessed with an asthma-specific job exposure matrix. Measurements and Main Results: We found a significant association between atopic asthma and exposure to high molecular weight asthmogens (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-8.9). Nonatopic asthma was significantly associated with exposure to low molecular weight asthmogens (AOR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6-4.3), including industrial cleaning agents and metal sensitizers. Agriculture was associated with both atopic and nonatopic asthma (AOR, 7.8; 95% CI, 2.8-21.8; and AOR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.3-13.0, respectively). The ratio of FEV(1) to FVC in the high-risk group was significantly lower than in the no-risk group (P = 0.026) in currently employed patients with asthma. Conclusions: In adults with asthma, occupational exposure to high and low molecular weight asthmogens appears to produce differential risks for atopic and nonatopic asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a large-scale cancer database in determination of prognostic factors for the survival of lung cancer subjects in Taiwan.~Background~Background~Total of 24,910 subjects diagnosed with lung cancer was analysed. Survival estimates by Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional-hazards model estimated the death risk (hazard ratio (HR)) for various prognostic factors.~Methods~Methods~The prognostic indicators associated with a higher risk of lung cancer deaths are male gender (males versus females; HR = 1.07, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.03-1.11), males diagnosed in later periods (shown in 1991-1994 versus 1987-1990; HR = 1.13), older age at diagnosis, large cell carcinoma (LCC)/small cell carcinoma (SCC), and supportive care therapy over chemotherapy. The overall 5-year survival rate for lung cancer death was significantly poorer for males (21.3%) than females (23.6%). Subjects with squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) and treatment by surgical resection alone had better prognosis. We find surgical resections to markedly increase 5-year survival rate from LCC, decreased risk of death from LCC, and no improved survival from SCC.~Results~Results~Gender and clinical characteristics (i.e. diagnostic period, diagnostic age, histological type and treatment modality) play important roles in determining lung cancer survival.~Conclusion~Conclusions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]