Expert review of clinical immunology
-
Work-related asthma includes two subtypes: occupational asthma or asthma caused by specific agents (sensitizers or irritants) in the workplace, and work-exacerbated asthma or pre-existing asthma worsened by workplace exposures. Areas covered: This review provides an update on the definitions and the clinical features of the different work-related asthma subtypes as well as new insights into their etiology and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved. The diagnosis of work-related asthma should be made on objective basis using a constellation of clinical, physiologic and allergologic tests. ⋯ Expert commentary: Studies focusing on the biological effects and mechanisms of environmental exposures in the development of sensitizer-induced or irritant-induced asthma in various workplace settings are of greatest interest. An integrative approach that combines clinical parameters with component-resolved diagnosis as well as inflammatory biomarkers appears to be very promising. Occupational allergy provides a good opportunity to understand the complex relationships between exposure to allergens in the workplace, interaction with genes and the co-exposures to other factors in the working environment.
-
Expert Rev Clin Immunol · Mar 2017
Multicenter StudyReal-life clinical practice and management of polysensitized patients with respiratory allergies: a large, global survey of clinicians prescribing allergen immunotherapy.
The allermix survey was conducted to gain insights into the most frequently diagnosed allergies worldwide, the use of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in clinical practice, and to identify current clinical approaches for the management of polyallergic patients. ⋯ These findings highlight the need for high-quality AIT products that are supported by robust efficacy and safety data, and address the treatment habits of allergy specialists in their real-life clinical practice.