CASE-REPORTS OF PERSISTENT AIRWAYS HYPERREACTIVITY FOLLOWING HIGH-LEVEL IRRITANT EXPOSURES

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 27  (7) , 473-476
Abstract
Two individuals developed an asthma-like illness after a single exposure to high levels of an irritating aerosol, vapor, fume or smoke. Symptoms developed within a few hours. A consistent physiologic accompaniment was airways hyperractivity, with the 2 subjects showing positive methacholine challenge tests. No documented preexisting respiratory illness was identified, nor did subjects relate past respiratory complaints. Respiratory symptoms and airways hyperactivity persisted for at least 4 yr after the incident. The incriminated etiologic agents all shared a common characteristic of being irritant in nature. Bronchial biopsy specimens showed an airways inflammatory response. Acute high-level irritant exposures may produce an asthma-like syndrome in some individuals, with long-term sequelae and chronic airways disease. Nonimmunologic mechanisms seem to be operative in the pathogenesis of this syndrome.