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Diethanolamine‐induced occupational asthma, a case report
Author(s) -
Ritva Piipari,
Matti Tuppurainen,
Timo Tuomi,
L Mäntylä,
Henriks-Eckerman Ml,
Helena Keskinen,
Henrik Nordman
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2222.1998.00232.x
Subject(s) - diethanolamine , occupational asthma , asthma , sensitization , medicine , provocation test , immunology , chemistry , organic chemistry , pathology , alternative medicine
Background Amino alcohols are low molecular weight chemicals used widely in industrial processes, often as minor constituents. They have been found to cause allergic contact dermatitis. Marked exposure through airways is uncommon in other than occupational settings where chemicals containing amino alcohols may be heated or vaporized, liberating free amino alcohols into the ambient air. A few cases of asthma and allergic rhinitis have been reported, but the amounts inducing the airway reactions have not been defined. Objective To further characterize ethanolamine‐induced asthma and define the concentration inducing the asthmatic reaction, a case of diethanolamine‐induced occupational asthma in a patient handling diethanolamine containing cutting fluid is reported. Methods Suspicion of work related asthma was raised by symptoms and peak expiratory flow monitorings at work and at home. Specific bronchial provocation tests with the cutting fluid containing DEA and with DEA aerosol at two different concentration below the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists threshold limit value of DEA (2.0 mg/m 3 ) were done. Results DEA caused asthmatic airway obstruction at two different concentrations below the ACGIH TLV. A slight dose–response relationship was observed. Specific IgE‐antibodies against DEA could not be found. Conclusions DEA is able to induce occupational asthma by a sensitization mechanism, the exact pathophysiological mechanism of which is not known.