A new longitudinal study revealed that persistent weekly use of multiple disinfectants and cleaning products over time may increase the risk of asthma, though investigators noted considerable uncertainty in their findings.

In the study, published in in Allergy, the investigators analyzed data from 1,143 young adults across a 10-year period and identified five distinct exposure profiles for long-term disinfectants and cleaning product (DCP) use: no weekly use (55% of participants), persistent cleaning spray use (12%), decreased use (7%), increased use (18%), and persistent use of multiple products (8%).

Compared with those with no weekly use, the participants with persistent use of multiple DCPs showed elevated risks of current asthma and current wheeze, though these associations did not reach statistical significance.

Of the long-term DCP exposure profiles, the study authors suggested that: "only a persistent weekly use of multiple DCPs over time seemed to have an adverse effect on asthma. However, large confidence intervals indicate considerable uncertainty," added Emilie Pacheco Da Silva, of the Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine at University Hospital Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) at LMU Munich in Germany, and colleagues.

The study utilized latent class analysis to examine cleaning product exposure patterns between ages 19 to 24 and 29 to 34 years, considering both occupational and household use. Products analyzed included cleaning sprays, disinfectant sprays, and nonspray disinfection methods.

Study limitations included the reliance on self-reported data and an inability to distinguish between household and occupational exposures. The investigators noted the low prevalence of weekly DCP use (13% to 28%) may have contributed to the lack of statistical significance.

The findings added to growing evidence linking cleaning product exposure to respiratory health effects. Previous research has associated both occupational and household use of DCPs with incident and current asthma, particularly for sprayed products and those containing respiratory irritants.

The study was conducted by researchers from University Hospital LMU Munich and other German institutions as part of the Study on Occupational Allergy Risks project. Funding was provided by multiple European respiratory and occupational health organizations.

Full disclosures can be found in the study.