M Chang-Yeung, S Lam, SM Kennedy and AJ Frew
Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, Canada.

This is a clinicopathologic study of three subjects with irritant- induced asthma. They were pulpmill workers who had a history of multiple "gassing" episodes that occurred over a period of years. Persistent symptoms of asthma and nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness and/or variable airflow obstruction occurred after at least one episode of "gassing," resulting in symptoms severe enough to require emergency room treatment. One of the three subjects had normal spirometry values before he entered the pulpmill. Bronchial biopsy done on these subjects showed changes compatible with asthma, including thickened basement membrane in two and cellular infiltration with activated eosinophils and mononuclear cells in all three. The results of immunohistology of bronchial mucosal biopsy of these subjects were compared with those of patients with allergic asthma and patients with Western red cedar-induced asthma. Subjects with irritant- induced asthma had a greater density of activated eosinophils and fewer T-lymphocytes, suggesting that cell-mediated immune mechanisms are not involved in the pathogenesis of this condition.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. S. Shakeri, F. D. Dick, and J. G. Ayres Which agents cause reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)? A systematic review Occup. Med., May 1, 2008; 58(3): 205 - 211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Bergeron and L.-P. Boulet Structural changes in airway diseases: characteristics, mechanisms, consequences, and pharmacologic modulation. Chest, April 1, 2006; 129(4): 1068 - 1087. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M Medina-Ramon, J P Zock, M Kogevinas, J Sunyer, Y Torralba, A Borrell, F Burgos, and J M Anto Asthma, chronic bronchitis, and exposure to irritant agents in occupational domestic cleaning: a nested case-control study Occup. Environ. Med., September 1, 2005; 62(9): 598 - 606. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. Mapp, P. Boschetto, P. Maestrelli, and L. M. Fabbri Occupational Asthma Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 1, 2005; 172(3): 280 - 305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Mehta, P. K. Henneberger, K. Toren, and A-C. Olin Airflow limitation and changes in pulmonary function among bleachery workers Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2005; 26(1): 133 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. BURSTYN Principal Component Analysis is a Powerful Instrument in Occupational Hygiene Inquiries Ann. Hyg., November 1, 2004; 48(8): 655 - 661. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. PRELLER, I. BURSTYN, N. DE PATER, and H. KROMHOUT Characteristics of Peaks of Inhalation Exposure to Organic Solvents Ann. Hyg., October 1, 2004; 48(7): 643 - 652. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Vandenplas, K. Toren, and P.D. Blanc Health and socioeconomic impact of work-related asthma Eur. Respir. J., October 1, 2003; 22(4): 689 - 697. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G. Martin, H. R. Campbell, H. Iijima, D. Gautrin, J.-L. Malo, D. H. Eidelman, Q. Hamid, and K. Maghni Chlorine-induced Injury to the Airways in Mice Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 2003; 168(5): 568 - 574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Vandenplas and J-L. Malo Definitions and types of work-related asthma: a nosological approach Eur. Respir. J., April 1, 2003; 21(4): 706 - 712. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Karjalainen, R. Martikainen, J. Karjalainen, T. Klaukka, and K. Kurppa Excess incidence of asthma among Finnish cleaners employed in different industries Eur. Respir. J., January 1, 2002; 19(1): 90 - 95. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Chan-Yeung and J.-L. Malo Occupational Asthma N. Engl. J. Med., July 13, 1995; 333(2): 107 - 112. [Full Text] [PDF]