TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2012//
TI  - Acute respiratory effects in firefighters
JO  - American journal of industrial medicine
A1  - Greven, Frans E.
A1  - Krop, Esmeralda J.
A1  - Spithoven, Jack J.
A1  - Burger, Nena
A1  - Rooyackers, Jos M.
A1  - Kerstjens, Huib A.
A1  - van der Heide, Sicco
A1  - Heederik, Dick J.
SP  - 54
EP  - 62
VL  - 55
IS  - 1
N2  - 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. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0271-3586
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.21012
ID  - ref1
ER  -