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2. Take the Asthma Quiz!
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Medical Author:

Irina Petrache, MD

Medical Author:

Christopher James Huffer, MD

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is occupational asthma?
• What causes occupational asthma?
• What are risk factors for occupational asthma?
• What are symptoms and signs of occupational asthma?
• How is occupational asthma diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for occupational asthma?
• What are complications of occupational asthma?
• Can occupational asthma be prevented?
• Where can a person find more information about occupational asthma?
• Occupational Asthma At A Glance
• Find a local Doctor in your town
• Occupational Asthma Index

"Asthma," American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/asthma/

"Asthma and Allergies," U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/asthma/
#research

"Occupational Asthma," Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/
occupationalasthma/

• Asthma is a lung disease characterized by inflammation of the airways and reversible narrowing of the airways, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and cough.
• Occupational asthma is asthma that is caused by a specific agent in the workplace.
• Many different agents can cause occupational asthma.
• Symptoms can begin immediately with exposure or even years later.
• Occupational asthma is diagnosed by a thorough history and physical exam, combined with testing of lung function.
• Treatment mostly involves completely avoiding the offending agent as soon as possible, combined with routine asthma treatments.

REFERENCES:

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Bignon, J.S. "HLA Class II Alleles in Isocyanate-Induced Asthma." Am J Respir Crit Care Med 149.1 (1994): 71-75.

Brooks, S.M. "Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS): Persistent Asthma Syndrome After High Level Irritant Exposures." Chest 88.3 (1985): 376-384.

Maghni, K. "Airway Inflammation After Cessation of Exposure to Agents Causing Occupational Asthma." Am J Respir Crit Care Med 169.3 (2004): 367-372.

Malo, J.L. "Agents Causing Occupational Asthma." J Allergy Clin Immunol 123 (2009): 545-550.

Malo, J.L. "Natural History of Occupational Asthma: Relevance of Type of Agent and Other Factors in the Rate of Development of Symptoms in Affected Subjects." J Allergy Clin Immunol 90.6.1 (1992): 937-944.

Moscato, G. "Occupational Asthma: A Longitudinal Study on the Clinical and Socioeconomic Outcome After Diagnosis." Chest 115.1 (1999): 249-256.

Muller-Wening, D. "Protective Effect of Respiratory Devices in Farmers With Occupational Asthma." Eur Respir J 12.3 (1998): 569-572.

Venables, K.M. "Smoking and Occupational Allergy in Workers in a Platinum Refinery." BMJ 299.6705 (1989): 939-942.

Vendeplas, O. "What Are the Questionnaire Items Most Useful in Identifying Subjects With Occupational Asthma?" Eur Respir J 26.6 (2005): 1056-1063.