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Irritant-Induced Asthma in the Workplace

  • OCCUPATIONAL ALLERGIES (JA POOLE, SECTION EDITOR)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Irritant-induced asthma in the workplace has been the focus of several articles in the past few years, and reviewed here. A clinical case definition is most readily associated with a single acute/accidental exposure to a presumed high concentration of an agent or agents expected to be irritant to the airways, as was initially reported with the subgroup Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS). When most but not all criteria for RADS are met, then a diagnosis of irritant-induced asthma may also be considered to be “more probable than not”. However, in addition, there is evolving understanding from epidemiological studies that chronic exposures may be associated with an increased risk of developing asthma. Despite this recognition, the mechanisms and clinical case definitions of work-related asthma that might be caused by chronic exposures to irritants (vs. new-onset asthma that begins coincidentally to work exposures), remain unclear at present.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Conflict of Interest

Susan M. Tarlo has had travel expenses covered/reimbursed for participation in European Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology task forces.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with animal subjects performed by any of the authors. Any human studies by the author were performed with informed consent and research ethics approval.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital EW7-449, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Susan M. Tarlo

  2. Department of Medicine and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Susan M. Tarlo

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Correspondence to Susan M. Tarlo.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Occupational Allergies

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Tarlo, S.M. Irritant-Induced Asthma in the Workplace. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 14, 406 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-013-0406-4

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