title: Prolonged occupational exposure leads to allergic airway sensitization and chronic airway and systemic inflammation in professional firefighters.
abstract: Little data exist on short- and long-term effects of occupational exposure on airway and systemic inflammation in professional firefighters. We aimed to characterize airway and systemic inflammation in training firefighters with a maximum occupational exposure of 1 year compared to the long-term exposure of professional firefighters.
  
  
  
  A questionnaire for symptoms and exposure, pulmonary function, atopy, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and markers of inflammation in induced sputum, serum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and bronchial biopsies were assessed in a total of 92 firefighters (63 full-time professionals and 29 trainees).
  
  
  
  Professional firefighters showed allergic bronchial sensitization documented by the presence of atopy, and eosinophilia in induced sputum, BAL and bronchial biopsies. IL-8, ECP, VEGF, and TNF-α levels were statistically significantly higher in the sputum supernatants of professional firefighters compared to the trainees (p = 0.04, p = 0.02, p = 0.04, and p = 0.02, respectively). Serum IL-8 and TNF-α levels were also statistically significantly higher in the group of professional firefighters (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, respectively). Finally, there was a linear correlation between the duration of the occupation in Service and the degree of airway and systemic inflammation.
  
  
  
  These results indicate a "dose-response" effect of chronic exposure to a polluted environment on bronchial and systemic inflammation in professional firefighters.
authors: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Niki
authors: N
authors: Gianniou
authors: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Paraskevi
authors: P
authors: Katsaounou
authors: 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Efrossini
authors: E
authors: Dima
authors: 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Chariklia-Eleni
authors: CE
authors: Giannakopoulou
authors: "M. Simos" Laboratories, Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Services, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Matina
authors: M
authors: Kardara
authors: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Vassiliki
authors: V
authors: Saltagianni
authors: Department of Pathology, "Sotiria" Hospital, Greece.
authors: Rodoula
authors: R
authors: Trigidou
authors: Department of Cytology, "Sotiria" Hospital, Greece.
authors: Aggeliki
authors: A
authors: Kokkini
authors: 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Petros
authors: P
authors: Bakakos
authors: 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Markozannes
authors: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Eleni
authors: E
authors: Litsiou
authors: Hellenic Fireforce Department, Greece.
authors: Alexandros
authors: A
authors: Tsakatikas
authors: Hellenic Fireforce Department, Greece.
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Evangelismos Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; "M. Simos" Laboratories, Department of Critical Care and Pulmonary Services, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Charis
authors: C
authors: Roussos
authors: 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Koulouris
authors: 1st Department of Pulmonary Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Electronic address: nikrovina@med.uoa.gr.
authors: Nikoletta
authors: N
authors: Rovina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests / Q000379:methods; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D061388:Firefighters; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013183:Sputum / Q000276:immunology; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein
keywords: Airway inflammation; Allergic sensitization; Firefighters; Systemic inflammation