[Diagnosis and management of occupational asthma in the American College of Chest Physicians statement]

Abstract

Occupational asthma is one of the most common work-related respiratory conditions and causes considerable morbidity and impairment of quality of life. In the general population, the occupations that contribute to asthma are concentrated in the construction industry, metal, plastic and rubber work, printing and industrial cleaning. The magnitude of the attributable risk of occupational asthma is estimate between 4 to 58% among all cases of asthma. The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Consensus 2007 statement proposed to reveal how the practicing pulmonologist can know whether someone is exposed to an asthma inducer at work and how is it better to manage the diagnosis and control this disease. This current statement updates the first 1995 consensus of ACCP about professional asthma, including relevant to preventive measures and work exacerbated asthma.