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Irritant-induced airway disorders.
Stuart M Brooks1, I Leonard Bernstein
1Colleges of Public Health & Medicine, USF Health Science Center, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. sbrooks@health.usf.edu
Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America
|October 8, 2011
Summary
Accidental irritant exposures can cause reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS), a form of asthma. Genetic and host factors may influence the development of asthma from repeated irritant exposures.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pulmonology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Irritant exposures affect thousands annually, with most recovering.
- Irritants act non-specifically and via non-immunologic pathways, unlike allergens.
- A single massive irritant exposure can lead to persistent airway hyperresponsiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) as a consequence of irritant exposure.
- To explore the link between repeated irritant exposures and chronic respiratory symptoms.
- To investigate the role of host factors in irritant-induced asthma.
Main Methods:
- Clinical observation of individuals with high-level irritant exposures.
- Characterization of irritant mechanisms distinct from allergic responses.
- Analysis of outcomes following single massive and repeated irritant exposures.
Main Results:
- Persistent airway hyperresponsiveness and asthma-like symptoms (RADS) can follow a single, massive irritant exposure.
- Repeated irritant exposures may result in chronic cough and ongoing airway hyperresponsiveness.
- Genetic and/or host factors are implicated in asthma development from repeated irritant exposures.
Conclusions:
- Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) is a distinct clinical entity following acute irritant exposure.
- Chronic respiratory issues, including asthma, can be triggered or exacerbated by irritant exposure.
- Individual susceptibility, influenced by genetics and host factors, plays a role in the development of irritant-induced asthma.
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