[Occupational exposure to isocyanates and individual susceptibility]

Patients with organic diisocyanate-induced pulmonary disease may be specially susceptible to the toxic effects of agent. Among 11 cases diagnosed in one year, the majority (10/11) were slow acetylators. The same patients were different from the control population in terms of alpha-1-antitrypsin phenotypes. Heterozygous combinations were more frequent than among controls. It seems that the combination of low N-acetylation capacity and a heterozygous alpha-1-antitrypsin predisposes to the disease.