Toxic Induction of Asthma and Rhinitis

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1: J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1994;32(5):487-501. Related Articles,

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RADS and RUDS--the toxic induction of asthma and rhinitis.

Meggs WJ.

East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North

Carolina.

Inhalation exposures can produce asthma and rhinitis by several

mechanisms. Sensitization with the production of IgE specific for a

substance can lead to symptoms on reexposure via mast cell

degranulation and the release of inflammatory mediators. Some

substances, known as environmental adjuvants, enhance the immune

response to concomitant exposures with the environmental adjuvant.

Respiratory irritants can lead to asthma and rhinitis through

interaction with chemical irritant receptors in the airway, leading

to release of substance P from sensory nerves and neurogenic

inflammation. The reactive airways dysfunction syndrome is a chronic

asthma-like syndrome resulting from a single acute exposure to a

respiratory irritant, while the reactive upper-airways dysfunction

syndrome is chronic rhinitis stemming from an irritant exposure. The

dysregulation of neurogenic inflammation by chemical exposures may

be an important mechanism in the toxic induction of reactive airways

dysfunction syndrome and reactive upper-airways dysfunction syndrome

and may play a role in understanding the sick building syndrome and

the multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome.

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PMID: 7932908 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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