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Occupational asthma caused by sculptured nails containing methacrylates
Riitta Sauni1, Paula Kauppi, Kristiina Alanko
1Team of Occupational Medicine, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|August 15, 2008
Summary
Artificial nails containing methacrylates (MAs) can cause occupational asthma (OA) in nail technicians. Avoiding MAs or using safety measures can prevent OA and allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Respiratory medicine
- Dermatology
Background:
- Increased use of artificial nails containing methacrylates (MAs) in recent decades.
- This study reports the first two clinical cases of occupational asthma (OA) linked to sculptured nails containing MAs.
Observation:
- Two female nail technicians presented with work-related respiratory symptoms for 4-5 years.
- One patient had a history of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to MAs; the other had no skin symptoms.
- Both patients exhibited a dual asthmatic reaction during a bronchial provocation test simulating their work with MA-containing products.
Findings:
- Occupational asthma (OA) was diagnosed using work simulation tests, occupational exposure history, and respiratory symptoms.
- Sculptured nails containing methacrylates (MAs) were identified as the causative agent for OA in both cases.
Implications:
- Nail technicians are at risk of developing occupational asthma (OA) from methacrylates (MAs) in artificial nail products.
- Recommends using MA-free products or implementing stringent safety measures when handling MAs to prevent OA and ACD.
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