Biomedical subjects

A Krakowiak

Publications and source records attributed to A Krakowiak.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

[Does formaldehyde-induced asthma exist?].

Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous airborne pollutant in our modern environment. There are many potential sources of formaldehyde in the industrial setting. Ambient formaldehyde affects primarily the upper airways and eyes. Lower airway and pulmonary effects occur at exposure levels between 6-38 mg/m3. It is so soluble and rapidly metabolized that it seldom reaches the lower respiratory tract to inflict damage. There is no consistent evidence indicating that formaldehyde can be a respiratory sensitizer. It may, on rare occasions, induce bronchial asthma at relatively high exposure doses. There are no conclusive studies that would prove the development of de novo-IgE-mediated respiratory tract symptoms as resulting from inhalation of formaldehyde.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

PubMed1992

[Objective evaluation of respiratory ventilation at work by measuring peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)].

Eleven patients suffering from baker's asthma, 27 patients with bronchitis and 2 patients with suspected bronchial asthma resulting from occupational exposure to formaldehyde were subjected to a single blinded 3-day observation. Clinical symptoms' analysis and PEFR were performed to diagnose asthmatic symptoms at the workplaces. In all the patients with barker's asthma bronchoconstriction was observed as a result of exposure to formaldehyde on both "no drug" and "placebo" days. No bronchoconstriction on the "bronchodilator" day was observed. Reactions to other asthmatic and bronchitic patients differed significantly. The proposed model seems to be useful as a routine diagnostic procedure in occupational asthma.

Allergens↗

PubMed1991

Formaldehyde--induced bronchial asthma--does it really exist?

These studies try to explain if there is a correlation between exposure to formaldehyde (FM) and bronchospastic reactions. 367 workers were examined in our study. They were aged 23 to 52. They had been exposed occupationally to FM at concentration not exceeding 0.5 mg/m3. All subjects suffered from respiratory symptoms; 14 had chronic bronchitis, 2 bronchial asthma. A history was taken and spirometry performed (peak expiratory flow (PEF)) with use of a single blind crossover method, in a three-day clinical observation. All subjects were provoked with histamine (PC20). Skin prick tests with common allergens, a patch test with FM and formaldehyde-specific IgE antibodies assay were performed. There were no significant differences in the respiratory parameters during the three-day clinical observation. Two subjects were supposed to have bronchial asthma induced by FM, but for lack of differences in respiratory parameters the occupational background of their asthma was excluded. None of the subjects complained of significant irritant symptoms. On the basis of our results one may doubt that FM is capable of acting as a respiratory sensitizer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Neutrophil chemiluminescence following exposure to formaldehyde in healthy subjects and in patients with contact dermatitis.

13 formaldehyde-sensitive contact dermatitis patients and 5 healthy subjects were exposed to formaldehyde (FM) at a concentration 0.5 mg/m3, in an exposure chamber for 2 hours. There was no significant decrease of the ventilatory parameters either in healthy subjects or in contact dermatitis patients following the exposure Bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine (PC20) increased in one healthy and two patients with contact dermatitis. Neutrophils were isolated from whole venous blood before the test and 30 minutes and 24 hours after the exposure. All subjects with allergic contact dermatitis had chemiluminescence higher before the FM provocation in a comparison with the healthy ones. It increased significantly 30 minutes post the exposure and was much higher 24 hours after the exposure in the comparison with the neutrophil chemiluminescence before the test.

Adult↗