Occupational asthma, rhinitis and contact urticaria from greenhouse work.

BACKGROUND: The current knowledge about occupational allergic diseases among greenhouse workers is scant. AIMS: To describe greenhouse workers' occupational allergic diseases. METHODS: We identified 28 greenhouse workers with occupational allergic diseases in 2002-2020 by conducting a systematic search in the patient register of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. All the patients worked in tomato- or cucumber-growing greenhouses and showed immunoglobulin-E-mediated sensitization to occupational agents. Specific inhalation challenges or workplace peak expiratory flow monitoring confirmed occupational asthma (OA), nasal allergen challenges confirmed occupational rhinitis (OR) and open skin tests confirmed occupational contact urticaria (OCU). RESULTS: Most patients had more than one occupational disease and were sensitized to several workplace agents. Tomato plants were the most common cause of occupational diseases and induced 22 allergic diseases in 14 patients. Cucumber plants caused occupational diseases in 10 patients (3 OA, 7 OR and 6 OCU). The pest control mite Amblyseius swirskii and a mixture of parasitic wasps Encarsia formosa and Eretmocerus eremicus both induced two OA cases. Three patients had an occupational disease caused by storage mites and three others had a work-related systemic reaction to a bumblebee sting. CONCLUSIONS: The greenhouse workers typically suffered from several occupational allergic diseases and were sensitized to cultivated plants, various pest control organisms and storage mites. All these can cause OA and OR, but in this study, OCU was only induced by cultivation plants. Cucumber plant is a novel cause of OA and OR, and A. swirskii is a novel cause of OA.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis, Allergic Airborne Dermatitis, and Occupational Asthma Caused by (meth)acrylates in Artificial Nails.

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by (meth)acrylates is traditionally an occupational disease among dentists, printers, and fiberglass workers. With the use of artificial nails, cases have been reported both in nail technicians and in users. ACD caused by (meth)acrylates used in artificial nails is a relevant problem for both nail artists and consumers. We present the case of a 34-year-old woman who was working in a nail art salon for two years prior to the appearance of severe hand dermatitis, especially on her fingertips together, with frequent appearance of face dermatitis. The patient had artificial nails for the last 4 months because her nails were more prone to splitting, so she was regularly using gel to "protect" them. While she was at her workplace, she reported multiple episodes of asthma. We performed patch test to baseline series, acrylate series, and the patient's own material. In the baseline series, the patient had positive reactions to nickel (II) sulfate (++/++/++), fragrance mix (+/+/+), and carba mix (+/+/+), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA) (++/++/++), ethylene glycol dimethylacrylate (EGDMA) (++/++/++), hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) (++/++/++), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) (+/+/+). Semi-open patch test was positive to 11 of the patient's own items (10 out of 11 were made of acrylates). There has been a significant increase in the incidence of acrylate-induced ACD among nail technicians and consumers. Cases of occupational asthma (OA) induced by acrylates have been described, but respiratory sensitizations of acrylates are still insufficiently investigated. Timely detection of sensitization to acrylates is primarily necessary in order to prevent further exposure to allergens. All measures should be taken to prevent exposure to allergens.

[Uncontrolled occupational asthma: Talking about comorbidities]. / Asthme professionnel non contrôlé : autour des comorbidités de l'asthme.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational asthma is a disease where the pathophysiological characteristics of asthma are linked to repeated exposure to a sensitizing agent present in the workspace. Assessment of patients with severe asthma to identify and manage comorbidities improves asthma control and is recommended in international guidelines on the management of severe asthma. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 49-year-old patient, nonsmoker, without atopy, who had severe work-related asthma due to exposure to isocyanates, which was uncontrolled despite the avoidance of the occupational exposure and maximal medical treatment. A systematic assessment for possible comorbidities revealed gastroesophageal reflux and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The specific management of these two comorbidities led to an improvement of asthma control with a reduction in the number of exacerbations, a reduced burden of treatment and a resumption of employment. CONCLUSIONS: As with all cases of severe asthma, the assessment of comorbidities must be systematic in the presence of an occupational asthma which persists after the cessation of the occupational exposure. The management of these comorbidities can lead to an improvement in asthma control and severity.

Occupational asthma: clinical phenotypes, biomarkers, and management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review focuses on new findings in the clinical and inflammatory aspects that can help to better identify the different phenotypes of work-related asthma and the development of specific biomarkers useful in diagnosis and follow-up. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies on phenotyping of occupational asthma, a subtype of work-related asthma, have mainly compared the clinical, physiological, and inflammatory patterns associated with the type of agent causing occupational asthma, namely, high-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight agents. Most of this research has found that patients with occupational asthma due to high-molecular-weight agents have an associated presence of rhinitis, conjunctivitis, atopy, and a pattern of early asthmatic reactions during specific inhalation challenge. The inflammatory profile (blood eosinophils, sputum cell count, or exhaled nitric oxide) may be similar when occupational asthma is caused by either type of agent. In some studies, severity of asthma and exacerbations have been associated with exposure to low-molecular-weight agents. The most reliable biomarkers in diagnosis and follow-up are eosinophilia in induced sputum and exhaled nitric oxide. SUMMARY: There are several phenotypes, characterized by its pathogenesis and inflammatory profile. Avoidance of the causative agents does not warrant complete recovery of occupational asthma. Treatment with biologic agents may be considered in severe occupational asthma.

Work-related asthma from cleaning agents versus other agents.

BACKGROUND: Cleaning agents have been commonly implicated as causative or triggering factors in work-related asthma (WRA), mainly from epidemiologic studies. Relatively few clinical series have been reported. AIMS: We aimed to compare socio-demographic and clinical features among tertiary clinic patients with WRA exposed to cleaning and non-cleaning products. METHODS: Analyses were conducted on a patient database containing 208 patients with probable WRA referred to the asthma and airway centre at a tertiary centre hospital in Canada from 2000 to 2014. Chi-squared and independent samples t-tests were used to analyse categorical and continuous data, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-two (11%) WRA cases were attributed to a variety of cleaning product exposures, 12 were diagnosed as occupational asthma (OA) and 10 as work-exacerbated asthma (WEA) (10% of all OA and 11% of all WEA). There were multiple exposures and the responsible agent(s) could seldom be clearly identified. Most frequent categories of exposure were surfactants, alcohols, disinfectants and acids. Compared to WRA with other exposures, those with cleaning agent exposures had a significantly larger proportion of females (82 versus 35%, P < 0.001), included a higher percentage of workers in healthcare (41 versus 4%, P < 0.001), and submitted more workers' compensation claims (86 versus 64%, P = 0.05). Other characteristics were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: In a tertiary referral clinic, patients with WRA from cleaning agent exposure had clinical characteristics that were similar to those with WRA from other causes. Most frequent exposures were surfactants, alcohols, disinfectants and acids.

How should occupational anaphylaxis be investigated and managed?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Anaphylaxis is a systemic allergic reaction that can be life-threatening or fatal and can result from work-related exposures. This review study focuses on the assessment, main triggers, and management of occupational anaphylaxis. RECENT FINDINGS: Exposed workers can be sensitized through inhalation and skin contact, and the risks increase with penetration of the allergen through the skin. The main eliciting agents of occupational anaphylaxis include stinging insects and animal bites, natural rubber latex and other vegetable allergens, food products, and drugs. Workers sensitized to occupational allergens may also develop anaphylaxis outside the work environment from exposure to the same or to cross-reacting allergens. Cofactors at work such as exercise may increase the risk. The relevant medical records and laboratory tests (e.g. tryptase) performed during the episode should be reviewed. SUMMARY: It is very important to confirm the diagnosis and to identify the specific trigger of anaphylaxis. Component-resolved diagnosis may help in the identification of primary sensitizers or cross-reactive allergens. Adrenaline must be administered to all patients experiencing anaphylaxis. Removal from exposure is mandatory to prevent further episodes. A written emergency management plan, health and safety education, and training and surveillance should be enforced in occupations at greater risk.

Biomarkers of systemic inflammation in pathogenesis of syntropic occupational bronchial asthma and metabolic syndrome.

In search of inflammatory molecular markers helpful in detection of increased risk and prognosis of severity of syntropic occupational bronchial asthma and metabolic syndrome, the authors conducted a study covering 140 examinees with confirmed occupational bronchial asthma. According to IDF criteria (2005), the patients were assigned into a group with combined occupational bronchial asthma and metabolic syndrome, and a group of occupational bronchial asthma without metabolic syndrome. All the examinees underwent studies of inflammation markers - biochemical (C-reactive protein, leptine) and molecular-genetic ( polymorphism of Gln223Arg gene of leptine receptor (LEPR), polymorphism of C174G gene of interleukin-6 (IL-6), polymorphism of G308A gene of (TNF-a) tumor necrosis factor alpha). Evidences are that the patients with combined bronchial asthma and metabolic syndrome demonstrate higher activity of inflammatory processes (higher level of C-reactive protein, leptine) - that manifests in clinically more severe course of bronchopulmonary disease. Moleculary-genetic markers revealed are associated with higher activity of inflammation and therefore with increased risk of occupational bronchial asthma associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetess mellitus 2 type (polymorphisms of LEPR gene, IL-6 gene).

Simultaneous bilateral spontaneous pneumothoraces in a patient with occupational asthma.

Spontaneous pneumothoraces are relatively common; however, simultaneous bilateral spontaneous pneumothoraces (SBSP) have rarely been reported. This case report describes the presentation of SBSP in a 60-year-old man with occupational asthma. He was initially started on treatment for life-threatening asthma, but an early deterioration in symptoms prompted an urgent chest radiography that established the diagnosis of bilateral pneumothoraces. This was managed with bilateral needle thoracocentesis followed by stabilisation with intercostal chest drains. He was subsequently referred to the thoracic unit for minithoracotomy, bullectomy and talc pleurodesis. This case highlights the potential difficulties in diagnosing SBSP and advocates the necessity for prompt chest radiography when managing such presentations in the acute setting.

Simultaneous bilateral spontaneous pneumothoraces: a case of occupational asthma.

Simultaneous bilateral spontaneous pneumothoraces (SBSP) are uncommon. This report presents the case of a previously well 19-year-old man with a diagnosis of SBSP and symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma. Despite bilateral bullectomy and pleurodesis using a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical technique, the pneumothorax reoccurred unilaterally and open surgery was performed. This case illustrates a rare condition of bilateral pneumothoraces presenting as a first presentation of occupational asthma and the issues surrounding its management.

Allergic asthma caused by exposure to bacterial alpha-amylase Termamyl®.

BACKGROUND: Airborne enzymes behave as potent respiratory allergens. Till date, allergic disorders caused by genetically engineered enzymes widely used in the industry, have not been reported. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We describe a worker employed in the detergent industry who developed asthma and rhinitis from IgE-mediated sensitization to the thermostable endo-alpha-amylase Termamyl® and to the protease Savinase®. This is the first report showing that Termamyl® elicits allergic respiratory disorders in humans.

Upper airway symptoms among workers with work-related respiratory complaints.

BACKGROUND: Work-related rhinitis and asthma symptoms frequently co-exist. AIMS: To determine the prevalence and nature of nasal, pharyngeal, laryngeal and sinus symptoms among individuals with work-related respiratory symptoms. METHODS: Individuals referred to a tertiary occupational asthma clinic for investigations with specific inhalation challenges were evaluated using the RHINASTHMA quality of life questionnaire and a questionnaire that assessed the nature and frequency of upper airway symptoms, their relationship to the workplace and their temporal relationship with the onset of asthma symptoms. RESULTS: There were 83 study participants. At least one upper airway symptom was reported by all of these individuals: nasal in 92%; pharyngeal in 82%; laryngeal in 65% and sinus in 53% of participants. Overall, there were no significant differences in the frequencies of nasal, pharyngeal, laryngeal and sinus symptoms when comparing these with occupational asthma (OA), work-exacerbated asthma (WEA) and work-related respiratory symptoms (WRS), except that nasal bleeding was most frequent among those with WRS. The presence of laryngeal symptoms was significantly associated with rhinitis-specific quality of life impairment. Individuals with workplace exposures to high molecular weight agents had greater impaired quality of life than those who were exposed to low molecular weight agents (RHINASTMA Upper Airway sub-scores: 24.0±10.4 versus 19.8±6.8; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals who were referred for work-related respiratory symptoms experienced high rates of work-related nasal, pharyngeal, laryngeal and sinus symptoms, regardless of having OA, WEA or WRS.

Pneumomediastinum is a possible acute complication of severe occupational asthma.

Occupational asthma has been reported to be the most common chronic respiratory occupational disease in many developed countries, and as with other occupational lung diseases, occupational asthma is potentially preventable. We report the case of a 24-year-old baker who experienced pneumomediastinum as a consequence of workplace exposure. This is the first report of pneumomediastinum as an acute complication of occupational asthma, and it exemplarily shows that the lack of medical surveillance at the workplace may lead to an acute, although unusual, complication.