Powder-free gloves reduce latex allergies - study

ERJ staff report (DS)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin -- The most effective public health strategy to prevent allergic sensitisation to NR proteins is by stopping the use of powdered latex gloves, according to a research paper from The Medical College of Wisconsin.

Previous medical studies pointed out a link between latex allergy and powdered latex gloves, but were not able to completely confirm this link in specific workers.

The new paper shows that reducing the use of powdered gloves reduced the allergen in the air and in air ducts at two hospitals, and prevented sensitisation to latex in health care workers at both institutions.

These findings, detailed in the paper “Prevention of IgE Sensitisation to Latex in Health Care Workers after Reduction of Antigen Exposures,” are published online-first in the August 2011 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Kevin J. Kelly, MD, professor of pediatrics (allergy/immunology), internal medicine, and vice chair in pediatrics at the Medical College, is the lead author on the paper.

Dr. Kelly and his colleagues studied more than 800 health care workers at Froedtert Hospital and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin over a 4.5 year period. Researchers tested the amount of latex allergen in the air ducts of the employees' primary work areas before and after both institutions switched to powder-free gloves, and found a significant correlation between high levels of airborne allergen and health care workers with a latex allergy, or sensitivity.

The switch to powder-free gloves led to significant changes at both hospitals. The unique study design allowed the investigators to determine that there was a 16-fold reduction in the rate of latex sensitisation among the study participants. Among the health care workers who were sensitised to latex at the beginning of the study, 25 percent lost that sensitivity, and are no longer considered sensitised to latex. Whether these fortunate workers will re-develop latex sensitisation if exposed to latex in the future is unknown.

“This study provides the strongest evidence that allergic sensitivity to latex in health care workers is linked to airborne allergen exposure through powdered gloves,” Dr. Kelly said. “I believe these findings provide a roadmap for health care institutions that will help minimise the risks of latex sensitisation to health care workers. I am extremely grateful to hospital administration at both Froedtert and Children's for allowing such an intrusive change in health care workers' daily activities to conduct this study.”

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Press release from The Medical College of Wisconsin