Occupational Asthma Due to Persulfate Salts: Diagnosis and Follow-up

doi:10.1378/chest.123.6.2124

Chest

Volume 123, Issue 6, June 2003, Pages 2124-2129

https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.123.6.2124 Get rights and content

Background

Persulfate salts have been identified as a cause of occupational asthma (OA). The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical characteristics, diagnostic testing results, and follow-up of eight patients with OA that was triggered by these chemical compounds.

Methods

Eight patients with OA due to exposure to persulfate salts were studied. Immunologic, lung function, and specific bronchial challenge tests (SBCTs) were performed in all patients. Once their condition had been diagnosed, the patients were seen every 1, 3, and 6 months for a mean duration of 18 months.

Results

The mean time of exposure to persulfate salts up to diagnosis was 15 years (range, 3 to 27 years), and mean time that had elapsed between symptom onset and diagnosis was 38 months (range, 3 to 120 months). Three patients were smokers, six patients presented with rhinitis prior to asthma in relation to persulfate exposure, and three presented with dermatitis. The results of total IgE tests were positive in six patients, and the results of skin-prick tests for detection of persulfate salts were positive in five of these patients. The results of a SBCT was positive in the seven patients in whom it was performed. Symptoms persisted in all but one patient and required medical treatment.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the reliable diagnosis of OA due to persulfate salts must be based on the specific challenge test until further experience has been acquired. Despite avoiding exposure, patients continued with symptoms and required treatment for the control of symptoms. Finally, a dependent IgE mechanism appears to be implicated in the pathogenesis of OA due to exposure to persulfate salts.

Section snippets

Study Population

Eight women (mean age, 35 years; range, 23 to 46 years), the total number of patients in whom asthma due to persulfate salts had been diagnosed at our occupational respiratory disease unit between 1997 and 2001, were prospectively studied. Three patients were employed in a cosmetic product factory where they mixed persulfate salts with other chemical agents to produce hair bleaches. Five patients worked with dyes in hairdressing salons. In the latter cases, the hair bleaches containing

Clinical Characteristics

Clinical characteristics of the patients are shown in Table 1. The mean time of contact with persulfate salts prior to diagnosis was 15 years (range, 3 to 27 years), and the mean time elapsed between symptom onset and diagnosis was 38 months (range, 3 to 120 months). All patients developed cough, chest tightness, and wheezing, and initially presented symptoms after work and at night, except patient 7 whose symptoms had occurred during work from the beginning of onset. Symptoms later worsened,

Discussion

From the small proportion of exposed workers who develop OA due to persulfate salts,⁶⁷⁸the latent period between onset of exposure and the onset of symptoms, and the type of response observed in the challenge test suggest that persulfate-induced OA is mediated by an immunologic mechanism. The results obtained in the present study suggest that this immunologic mechanism might be mediated by IgE, since a skin-prick test that is positive for persulfate salts had been obtained in five patients

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to Christine O’Hara for her help with the English translation of the article, to Teresa Codinach, a member of the nursing staff, and to Rosa Lloria for editorial assistance.

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Ammonium persulfate (AP) causes occupational asthma (OA) and diesel exhaust particles (DEP) exacerbate asthma; however, the role of DEP in asthma due to chemical agents has not been assessed to date. Therefore, the present work aims to study the immunomodulatory effects of DEP in a mouse model of chemical asthma. BALB/c ByJ mice were randomly divided into four experimental groups. On days 1 and 8, mice were dermally sensitized with AP or saline. On days 15, 18 and 21, they received intranasal instillations of AP or saline. Two experimental groups received DEP on every of the three challenges. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), lung mechanics, pulmonary inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage, leukocyte numbers in total lung tissue, oxidative stress and optical projection tomography (OPT) studies were assessed. The AP-sensitized and challenged group showed asthma-like responses, such as airway hyperresponsiveness, increased levels of eosinophils and NKs and lower numbers of monocytes and CD11b-Ly6C- dendritic cells (DCs). Mice exposed to DEP alone showed increased levels of neutrophils and NKs, reduced numbers of monocytes and alveolar macrophages, and increased levels of CD11b + Ly6C- DCs. The AP sensitized and AP + DEP challenged group also showed asthma-like symptoms such as AHR, as well as increased numbers of eosinophils, neutrophils, CD11b + Ly6C- DCs and decreased levels of total and alveolar macrophages and tolerogenic DCs. Particle deposition was visualised using OPT. In the DEP group the particles were distributed relatively evenly, while in the AP + DEP group they were seen mainly in the large conducting airways. The results show that DEP exposure activates the innate immune response and, together with AP, exacerbates asthma immune hallmarks. This mouse model provides the first evidence of the capacity of DEPs to increase CD11b + Ly6C- (Th2-related) DCs. This study also demonstrates, for the first time, a differential deposition pattern of DEP in lungs depending on asthma status.
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Also it has been used in several applications such as circuit board fabrication [15], cosmetics [16], polymerization [16], bleaching for textiles and natural fibers [18], decolorizing agent in azo dyes [6], in the degradation of ethanol [19] and oximes [20]. It has been stated that persulfate anions may cause diseases like asthma [21] and skin diseases or reactions [22]. Referring to the properties and extensive use of persulfate in different sectors, there is a demand for finding a simple method to detect and quantify persulfate anions.
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Chest

Occupational and Environmental Lung DiseaseOccupational Asthma Due to Persulfate Saltsa: Diagnosis and Follow-up

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Section snippets

Study Population

Clinical Characteristics

Discussion

Acknowledgment

Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol

Med Clin (Barc)

J Allergy Clin Immunol

J Allergy

Chest

J Allergy Clin Immunol

Deux causes d’asthme professionel chez les coiffeurs: persulphate et soie

Arch Mal Prof

Persulphate hair bleach reactions: cutaneous and respiratory manifestations

Arch Dermatol

Asthma due to inhaled chemical agents-persulphate salts and henna in hairdressers

Clin Allergy

Occupational asthma and dermatitis after exposure to dust of persulphate salts in two industrial workers

Respiration

Occupational asthma in a hairdressing salon

Thorax

Occupational skin and respiratory diseases among hairdressers

Scand J Work Environ Health

Aetiology of occupational asthma

Clin Exp Allergy

Incidence of asthma in female Swedish hairdressers

Occup Environ Med

Occupational asthma in France: a 1-yr report of the Observatoire National de Asthmes Professionnels project

Eur Respir J

Occupational asthma in a hairdresser caused by persulphate salts

Allergy

Late asthmatic reaction in a hairdresser, due to the inhalation of ammonium persulphate salts

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr)

Early reaction type allergies and diseases of the respiratory passages in employees from persulphate production

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease
Occupational Asthma Due to Persulfate Salts^a: Diagnosis and Follow-up