title: Acute respiratory effects in firefighters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Associations between acute respiratory inflammatory responses, changes in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, serum pneumoprotein levels, and exposure to fire smoke were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 51 firefighters. Blood samples were taken within 24 hr following exposure to fire smoke, and after a week and 3 months. Sputum was induced within 5 days post-exposure and subjects underwent spirometry and methacholine provocation one week post-exposure. Exposure was registered by a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No changes were observed following smoke exposure in bronchial hyperresponsiveness and serum pneumoprotein levels. Nevertheless, in a sizable proportion of the firefighters (44%) elevated sputum neutrophil levels (≥60%) were found. Serum IL-8 concentrations were higher 24 hr post-exposure compared to pre-exposure. Elevated neutrophil levels in sputum were associated with elevated serum IL-8 (β = 0.010, P = 0.004) and TNFα (β = 0.005, P = 0.034) levels within 24 hr post-exposure and IL-8 elevation lasted up to 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute exposure to fire smoke induces acute neutrophilic airway and long-lasting systemic inflammation in healthy firefighters in the absence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. f.greven@hvd.groningen.nl
authors.forename: Frans E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Greven
authors.forename: Esmeralda J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Krop
authors.forename: Jack J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Spithoven
authors.forename: Nena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: Jos M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rooyackers
authors.forename: Huib A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kerstjens
authors.forename: Sicco
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Heide
authors.forename: Dick J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Heederik
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009504:Neutrophils; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013147:Spirometry; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012906:Smoke; D014598:Uteroglobin