Occupational asthma
- PMID: 15860754
- DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200311-1575SO
Occupational asthma
Abstract
Substantial epidemiologic and clinical evidence indicates that agents inhaled at work can induce asthma. In industrialized countries, occupational factors have been implicated in 9 to 15% of all cases of adult asthma. Work-related asthma includes (1) immunologic occupational asthma (OA), characterized by a latency period before the onset of symptoms; (2) nonimmunologic OA, which occurs after single or multiple exposures to high concentrations of irritant materials; (3) work-aggravated asthma, which is preexisting or concurrent asthma exacerbated by workplace exposures; and (4) variant syndromes. Assessment of the work environment has improved, making it possible to measure concentrations of several high- and low-molecular-weight agents in the workplace. The identification of host factors, polymorphisms, and candidate genes associated with OA is in progress and may improve our understanding of mechanisms involved in OA. A reliable diagnosis of OA should be confirmed by objective testing early after its onset. Removal of the worker from exposure to the causal agent and treatment with inhaled glucocorticoids lead to a better outcome. Finally, strategies for preventing OA should be implemented and their cost-effectiveness examined.
Comment in
-
Nonspecific triggers also provoke occupational asthma.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006 Feb 1;173(3):357; author reply 357-8. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.173.3.357. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006. PMID: 16436368 No abstract available.
Similar articles
-
Occupational asthma.Med Lav. 2006 Mar-Apr;97(2):404-9. Med Lav. 2006. PMID: 17017377 Review.
-
Future advances in work-related asthma and the impact on occupational health.Occup Med (Lond). 2005 Dec;55(8):606-11. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqi185. Occup Med (Lond). 2005. PMID: 16314332 Review.
-
Asthma on the job: work-related factors in new-onset asthma and in exacerbations of pre-existing asthma.Respir Med. 2000 Jun;94(6):529-35. doi: 10.1053/rmed.2000.0783. Respir Med. 2000. PMID: 10921755
-
Diisocyanate-induced asthma: diagnosis, prognosis, and effects of medical surveillance measures.Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2002 Dec;17(12):902-8. doi: 10.1080/10473220290107101. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2002. PMID: 12495601 Review.
-
Occupational asthma.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001 Sep;108(3):317-28. doi: 10.1067/mai.2001.116432. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001. PMID: 11544449 Review.
Cited by
-
Occupational airborne exposure, specific sensitization and the atopic status: evidence of a complex interrelationship.J Occup Med Toxicol. 2013 Feb 13;8(1):2. doi: 10.1186/1745-6673-8-2. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2013. PMID: 23406275 Free PMC article.
-
Sputum eosinophilia is a determinant of FEV1 decline in occupational asthma: results of an observational study.BMJ Open. 2015 Jan 5;5(1):e005748. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005748. BMJ Open. 2015. PMID: 25564139 Free PMC article.
-
Sputum inflammatory profile before and after specific inhalation challenge in individuals with suspected occupational asthma.PLoS One. 2013 Nov 13;8(11):e78304. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078304. eCollection 2013. PLoS One. 2013. PMID: 24236015 Free PMC article.
-
Rising prevalence of asthma is sex-specific in a US farming population.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 Oct;128(4):774-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.06.046. Epub 2011 Aug 15. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011. PMID: 21840584 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Vapor, dust, and smoke exposure in relation to adult-onset asthma and chronic respiratory symptoms: the Singapore Chinese Health Study.Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Jun 15;163(12):1118-28. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwj144. Epub 2006 May 17. Am J Epidemiol. 2006. PMID: 16707657 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
