Respiratory effects of a single, moderately acute, smoke inhalation episode

Twenty-three hospital employees who suffered ill effects of smoke inhalation were pulmonary-function tested within 72 hours, after ten weeks, and again after 45 weeks of exposure. Four nonexposed control subjects were selected for comparison of data.Exposed persons commonly had restrictive lung disease which may have resulted from stimulation of irritant receptors in bronchi and/or interstitial edema of chemical injury at the level of the ventilation-perfusion unit. Airways obstruction was infrequent, despite the possibility of inhalation of di-isocyanates, an intermediary product of burning polyurethane foam that may cause chemical asthma. Eye and constitutional symptoms were also frequent.Clinical recovery was as a rule rapid and complete (within a week), but physiologic recovery was protracted (over 45 weeks in some cases). Most surprisingly, cigarette smoking and/or presence of cardiopulmonary disease did not contribute to morbidity.