IngentaConnect Inhaled formaldehyde exposure: effect on bronchial response to mi...

Authors: Casset, A.; Marchand, C.¹; Purohit, A.²; le Calve, S.¹; Uring-Lambert, B.³; Donnay, C.²; Meyer, P.⁴; de Blay, F.

Source: Allergy, Volume 61, Number 11, November 2006 , pp. 1344-1350(7)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

Background:

Formaldehyde, an indoor air pollutant, is known to be an irritant and an etiologic factor in occupational asthma. An epidemiologic study suggests that it may also increase the risk of childhood asthma for concentrations above 60 μg/m³. Aim:

To evaluate the influence of pre-exposure to low-dose formaldehyde (100 μg/m³ in 30 min according to the World Health Organization's recommended maximum value for indoor environments) on bronchial response to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Method:

Nineteen asthmatic subjects were included. Each subject underwent a mite allergen bronchial challenge test immediately after a standardized exposure in a chamber to formaldehyde or air (random order). Induced sputum were collected 24 h before and after mite challenge. Results:

After formaldehyde inhalation, patients developed an immediate bronchial response at a significantly lower dose of mite allergen than after air exposure (the geometric mean PD₂₀ for Der p 1 was 34.3 ng after formaldehyde and 45.4 ng after placebo, P = 0.05). The late-phase reaction, expressed as the maximum fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) from baseline, was significantly higher after formaldehyde (15%vs 11%, P = 0.046). Conclusion:

Our study demonstrated that exposure to low levels of formaldehyde significantly enhanced bronchial responsiveness to mite allergen in mite-sensitized subjects with asthma.

Keywords: asthma; bronchial responsiveness; Der p 1; formaldehyde; house dust mite allergen

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2006.01174.x

Affiliations: 1: Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, CNRS (UMR 7517) and Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg 2: Département de Pneumologie, Hôpital Lyautey, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg 3: Laboratoire d'Immunologie, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg 4: Service de Biostatistiques et Informatique Médicale, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France

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Inhaled formaldehyde exposure: effect on bronchial response to mite allergen in sensitized asthma patients