Novel Causes of Drug-Induced Occupational Asthma
July 2018
in “
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice
”
TLDR Four new substances—minoxidil, ferrimanitol ovalbumin, clarithromycin, and glucosamine-hydrochloride—can cause occupational asthma.
The document describes four new cases of occupational asthma (OA) caused by exposure to minoxidil, ferrimanitol ovalbumin (FMOA), clarithromycin, and glucosamine-hydrochloride, which had not been previously reported. The patients, ranging in age from 34 to 49, developed OA symptoms after being exposed to these substances in their respective workplaces. Diagnosis was confirmed through specific inhalation challenges (SIC), with three patients exhibiting significant decreases in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁). These findings highlight the expanding range of substances that can cause sensitization leading to OA and the importance of SIC in diagnosing the condition.