title: Early reaction type allergies and diseases of the respiratory passages in employees from persulphate production.
abstract: The prevalence of positive skin-prick test reactions ammonium persulphate and potassium persulphate (1% and 5% solutions) was tested in a cross-sectional study on 52 employees of a company producing persulphates after a case of "persulphate asthma" was observed. A random test of 13 persons without occupational exposure to persulphates served as controls; among them all the skin-prick test reactions were negative. Eight company employees showed a positive skin-prick test reaction to at least one of the persulphate solutions tested. Employees showed lower lung function results with a positive prick test reaction than did employees with a negative result. The positive skin-prick reactions correspond well to the anamnestic data and indicate a possible relationship to obstructive ventilation disorders. The results therefore suggest an IgE-induced, allergic pathomechanism of "persulphate asthma" triggered by persulphates.
authors.affiliation: Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wrbitzky
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Letzel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D002617:Chemical Industry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012882:Skin Tests; D013431:Sulfates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D013431:Sulfates; C031276:ammonium peroxydisulfate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C009007:potassium persulfate; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate