Agents causing occupational asthma

作者：Malo Jean Luc^*; Chan Yeung Moira

来源：Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2009, 123(3): 545-550.

DOI：10.1016/j.jaci.2008.09.010

• Asthma in the workplace
• occupational asthma
• irritant-induced asthma

The workplace is a significant contributor to the burden of asthma. Although the majority of cases probably represent what is labeled work-exacerbated asthma, in a significant number of subjects, asthma is actually caused by 1 or more agents present in the workplace; this is occupational asthma. Two types of occupational asthma are distinguished, according to whether the asthma appears after a latency period. This article discusses (1) two types of agents causing asthma with a latency period and acting through an apparently immunologic mechanism (high-molecular-weight agents and low-molecular-weight agents) and (2) agents causing asthma without a latency period. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;123:545-50.)

• 出版日期2009-3