Delayed occupational asthma from epoxy exposure

I Brock Jacobsen; J Baelum; O Carstensen; L R Skadhauge; J Feary; P Cullinan; D L Sherson

doi:10.1093/occmed/kqz088

Delayed occupational asthma from epoxy exposure

Occup Med (Lond). 2019 Dec 7;69(7):511-514. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqz088.

Authors

I Brock Jacobsen¹, J Baelum¹, O Carstensen², L R Skadhauge³, J Feary⁴, P Cullinan⁴, D L Sherson^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
² Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Herning Hospital, Herning, Denmark.
³ Department of Occupational Medicine, Hospital of South West Jutland, Esbjerg, Denmark.
⁴ Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
⁵ Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

PMID: 31394570
DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqz088

Abstract

Background: A delayed asthma reaction occurring several hours after exposure is difficult to diagnose.

Aims: To confirm a delayed asthma reaction in five workers following epoxy exposure.

Case report: Working conditions with exposure to epoxy encountered at the workplace were reproduced in a challenge chamber. Specific inhalation challenge (SIC) with epoxy was compared to a control challenge. All five cases had delayed a asthma response 6-15 h after epoxy exposure.

Conclusions: Our study confirms that SIC is a useful tool in diagnosing delayed asthma response.

Keywords: Delayed asthma; epoxy; occupational asthma; specific inhalation challenge.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Asthma, Occupational / diagnosis*
Epoxy Compounds / adverse effects*
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Inhalation Exposure*
Male
Middle Aged
Occupational Exposure / adverse effects

Substances

Epoxy Compounds

Grants and funding

MR/S019669/1/MRC_/Medical Research Council/United Kingdom