Review article
Occupational asthma: I. general aspects and criteria, pathogenesis and classification
T. Beritić
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
D. Beritić-Stahuljak
; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Reversible obstructive airway disease of occupational origin is an ever increasing medical problem also in this country. However, occupational asthma is not always easily recognized, legally accepted and consequently compensated. The problem of occupational asthma is therefore surveyed by presenting its historical, terminological, legal and pathomorphological aspects. Special attention is paid to the definitions and criteria particularly in regard to those pathogenetic facts which contribute to awareness that allergic senzitization is neither the only nor the obligatory mechanism of bronchoconstriction. Any classification of occupational asthma should, accordingly, take into consideration all the possible causes of bronchoconstriction. A scheme of the authors' own classification is proposed which differentiates a primary obstructive (bronchial) from a primary restrictive (parenchymal) occupational asthma, the former being divided into allergic, reflex, pharmacologic and toxic, and the latter into granulomatous or fibrotic type of lesion due to allergic or toxic action of the organic, metallic and mineral dust.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
159548
URI
Publication date:
28.5.1981.
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