Occupational asthma and allergic diseases of the upper airway play an important role in occupational diseases. The most frequent allergens, which causes occupational respiratory diseases in the Czech Republic, are isocyanates and wheat and rye flour. Isocyanates are the substances used in car industry during production of polyurethanes, they are in colours and glues. Occupational allergic asthma and rhinitis are diagnosed using specific challenge tests with substances from the workplace. These tests can be done in a special exposure box in a lab with substances taken by hygiene specialists from the patient´s workplace or using direct exposure at the workplace. Spirometry and anterior active rhinomanometry are used as objective methods during these tests. For prognosis the early diagnosis and withdrawal from the occupational allergen exposure are essential. Keywords: allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, irritant-induced asthma, irritant-induced rhinitis, isocyanate, occupational disease, specific inhalation challenge.
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Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants robustly associated with asthma. A potential near-term clinical application is to calculate polygenic risk score (PRS) to improve disease risk prediction. The value of PRS, as part of numerous multi-source variables used to define asthma, remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContact Dermatitis
January 2025
Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
Background: Since its inception in 1980, the MOHL index (% patients who are male, have occupational, hand, or leg dermatitis, respectively) and its later evolutions until the presently used MOAHLFA(P) index (adding % patients with atopic dermatitis, face dermatitis, age 40+ years and positive reaction(s) to ≥ 1 baseline series allergen) have been intended to convey important demographic and clinical information on the patients patch tested in a certain area and time, aiding the interpretation of the observed spectrum of sensitisation.
Objectives: To examine the current usage of the MOAHLFA(P) index and suggest consolidated definitions for its single items.
Methods: A title/abstract search in Medline identified publications mentioning the evolving acronyms.
Sci Total Environ
January 2025
Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, 00076 Espoo, Finland; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Faculty of Science, School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia. Electronic address:
Genus Stachybotrys (Stachybotryaceae, Hypocreales) requires high humidity to grow and represents one of the most notorious fungi associated with suspected illness in moist buildings. If Stachybotrys conidia are found in settled indoor dusts, their presence may indicate water intrusion and mold infestation revealed after dismantling the building structures. This study describes detection of Stachybotrys growth hidden inside the structures of three buildings in Finland.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCrit Rev Toxicol
January 2025
Syngenta, Bracknell, United Kingdom.
While progress has been made in recent years, there are still no suitable and accepted , or models that can be used to accurately predict whether a chemical substance has the intrinsic property to cause immune-mediated chemical respiratory allergy, typically manifested as allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis which represents a severe health hazard. Regulatory authorities have relied primarily on clinical evidence (case reports, clinical databases, worker exposure studies) to classify substances as respiratory sensitizers, but this evidence can lack a proven immunological mechanism which is necessary to identify substances which can cause life-long sensitization and clinically relevant allergic symptoms in the respiratory tract in an exposed population (such respiratory allergens may be considered as "true" sensitizers, in analogy to the definition of skin sensitization, and in contrast to respiratory irritants). In light of this, the European Center for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals convened a Task Force to evaluate the types of clinical methods and data sources and the implications of relying on such data for regulatory decision making from a scientific perspective.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAllergol Select
December 2024
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
In allergology, clinical registries fill knowledge gaps of epidemiology, mechanisms of allergic diseases, and real-world treatment outcomes. Considering the continuous rise of allergic diseases worldwide, registries become increasingly important for the optimization and harmonization of patient care. In the current review, we present four ongoing allergy-focused registries initiated in Germany.
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