Acute pulmonary response of asthmatics to aerosols and gases generated by airbag deployment

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the aerosols and gases that vent into an automobile's passenger compartment after airbag deployment pose a risk to the asthmatic population. After baseline pulmonary function measurements were taken, 24 diagnosed asthmatic subjects were placed in the rear seat of an automobile, and a driver-passenger airbag system was deployed. Subjects remained in the vehicle with the windows closed and no ventilation for 20 min or until they perceived or demonstrated signs of chest tightness and bronchoconstriction. They then exited the vehicle and were retested immediately after exposure and 2 and 4 h after exposure. Ten of the 24 subjects demonstrated clinically significant bronchoconstrictive episodes, three of which required medical intervention. These three events were quickly reversed by beta-agonist therapy. When eight of the responding subjects were reexposed at later dates to the same supplemental inflatable restraints emissions while wearing a high-efficiency particulate absolute respirator, which prevented inhalation of the particles but allowed passage of the gases, the pulmonary response was essentially eliminated. We conclude that the aerosols generated by deployment of automotive driver-passenger airbag systems can induce significant asthmatic reactions in some individuals.