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X Muñoz,1,2,3 MJ Cruz,1,2
V Bustamante,4 JL Lopez-Campos,2,5
E Barreiro2,6 |
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1Pulmonology Service,
Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Vall dHebron,
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
2Centro de Investigación en Red de
Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud
Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
3Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and
Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,
Barcelona, Spain
4Pneumology Department, Hospital
Universitario Basurto, Osakidetza/University of the
Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
5Unidad Médico-quirúrgica de Enfermedades
Respiratorias. Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla
(IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Universidad
de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
6Pulmonology Department-Muscle Research and
Respiratory System Unit (URMAR), Institut Hospital del
Mar dInvestigacions Mèdiques (IMIM)-Hospital del Mar,
Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (CEXS),
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de
Barcelona (PRBB), Barcelona, Spain |
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Abstract |
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The incidence and
prevalence of asthma
are increasing. One
reason for this
trend is the rise in
adult-onset asthma,
especially
occupational asthma,
which is 1 of the 2
forms of
work-related asthma.
Occupational asthma
is defined as asthma
caused by agents
that are present
exclusively in the
workplace. The
presence of
pre-existing asthma
does not rule out
the possibility of
developing
occupational asthma.
A distinction has
traditionally been
made between
immunological
occupational asthma
(whether IgE-mediated
or not) and
nonimmunological
occupational asthma
caused by irritants,
the most
characteristic
example of which is
reactive airway
dysfunction
syndrome. The other
form of work-related
asthma is known as
work-exacerbated
asthma, which
affects persons with
pre-existing or
concurrent asthma
that is worsened by
work-related
factors. It is
important to
differentiate
between the 2
entities because
their treatment,
prognosis, and
medical
and social
repercussions can
differ widely. In
this review, we
discuss diagnostic
methods, treatment,
and avoidance/nonavoidance
of the antigen in
immunological
occupational asthma
and work-exacerbated
asthma.
Key words:
Specific inhalation
challenge. Peak
expiratory flow.
Workplace.
Irritants. |
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