title: Do chronic workplace irritant exposures cause asthma?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present review summarizes the recent literature on the relation between chronic workplace irritant exposures and asthma, focusing on exposures of low to moderate levels. We discuss results from epidemiological surveys, potential biological mechanisms, and needs for further research. These aspects are largely illustrated by studies on exposure to cleaning products.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent results from nine population-based and workplace-based epidemiological studies, mostly cross-sectional, found an increased risk of both new-onset and work-exacerbated asthma among participants exposed to moderate level of irritants and/or cleaning products.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence of a causal effect of chronic workplace irritant exposure in new-onset asthma remains limited, mainly because of a lack of longitudinal studies and the difficulty to evaluate irritant exposures. However, recent epidemiological studies strengthen the evidence of an effect of chronic exposure to irritants in work-related asthma. The underlying mechanism remains unknown but may be related to oxidative stress, neurogenic inflammation and dual irritant and adjuvant effects. However, disentangling chronic irritant effects from either acute irritant-induced asthma or immunological low molecular weight agent-induced asthma is difficult for some agents. Further research is needed to improve assessment of irritant exposures and identify biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: aINSERM, U1168, VIMA, Aging and Chronic Diseases, Epidemiological and Public Health Approaches, F-94807, VillejuifbUniv Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, UMR-S, UVSQ, F-78180, Montigny le Bretonneux, France.
authors.forename: Orianne
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Le Moual
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003902:Detergents / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants / Q000009:adverse effects; D020078:Neurogenic Inflammation; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D007509:Irritants