Irritant-induced asthma: Clinical and functional aspects

We report on three patients who experienced persistent asthma symptoms afte r repetitive irritant exposure which took place over a period from several days to months. Airway inflammation was assessed by induction of sputum and functional follow-up information was obtained from serial lung function te sts. All patients had bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine at the time of diagnosis. However, induced sputum samples did not show increased d ifferential count of eosinophils. Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids wa s started in all of the patients and two of them were removed from work? In the two patients who left the workplace, methacholine inhalation test beca me negative when symptoms disappeared, whereas the patient who continued wo rking had persistent asthma symptoms and a deterioration of bronchial hyper responsiveness.