DEATH DUE TO ASTHMA AT WORKPLACE IN A DIPHENYLMETHANE DIISOCYANATE-SENSITIZED SUBJECT

Total cases of fatal asthma in the occupational setting reported in th e literature are reviewed and the case of a 39-year-old foundry worker who died at work is described. A diagnosis of occupational asthma ind uced by diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) had been assessed 5 years i n advance through a 0.005ppm exposure inhalation challenge. Postmortem microscopic examination of the lung showed epithelial desquamation, e osinophilic/neutrophilic infiltration of the mucosa, dilatation of bro nchial vessels, edema, hypertrophy and disarray of smooth muscle, Fata l asthma attack in a MDI-sensitized individual, to our knowledge, has not been previously described.