Occupational contact urticaria due to cisplatin

A comprehensive summary of disease variants implicated in metal allergy

Allergic disease represents one of the most prominent global public health crises of the 21^st century. Although many different substances are known to produce hypersensitivity responses, metals constitute one of the major classes of allergens responsible for a disproportionately large segment of the total burden of disease associated with allergy. Some of the most prevalent forms of metal allergy - including allergic contact dermatitis - are well-recognized; however, to our knowledge, a comprehensive review of the many unique disease variants implicated in human cases of metal allergy is not available within the current scientific literature. Consequently, the main goal in composing this review was to (1) generate an up-to-date reference document containing this information to assist in the efforts of lab researchers, clinicians, regulatory toxicologists, industrial hygienists, and other scientists concerned with metal allergy and (2) identify knowledge gaps related to disease. Accordingly, an extensive review of the scientific literature was performed - from which, hundreds of publications describing cases of metal-specific allergic responses in human patients were identified, collected, and analyzed. The information obtained from these articles was then used to compile an exhaustive list of distinctive dermal/ocular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and systemic hypersensitivity responses associated with metal allergy. Each of these disease variants is discussed briefly within this review, wherein specific metals implicated in each response type are identified, underlying immunological mechanisms are summarized, and major clinical presentations of each reaction are described.Abbreviations: ACD: allergic contact dermatitis, AHR: airway hyperreactivity, ASIA: autoimmune/ autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants, BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage, CBD: chronic beryllium disease, CTCL: cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, CTL: cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte, DRESS: drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, GERD: gastro-esophageal reflux disease, GI: gastrointestinal, GIP: giant cell interstitial pneumonia, GM-CSF: granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, HMLD: hard metal lung disease, HMW: high molecular weight, IBS: irritable bowel syndrome, Ig: immunoglobulin, IL: interleukin, LMW: low molecular weight, PAP: pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, PPE: personal protective equipment, PRR: pathogen recognition receptor, SLE: systemic lupus erythematosus, SNAS: systemic nickel allergy syndrome, Th: helper T-cell, UC: ulcerative colitis, UV: ultraviolet.

Occupational immediate-type allergic asthma due to potassium tetrachloroplatinate in production of cytotoxic drugs

Allergic immediate-type reactions by halogenated compounds of platinum (Pt) (platinum salts) have been described in workers in precious metal refineries and catalyst productions. In both industries there are exposures to many different Pt compounds. It is believed that the most important allergens are those compounds with the highest number of halide ligands. It is unknown whether sensitizations to compounds with a lower number of halide ligands represent co-sensitizations or are due to cross-reactivity. We report a worker engaged in the production of cytotoxic drugs with occupational asthma and exposure to only one Pt salt with four halide ligands. The 22-year-old worker developed work-related sneezing, runny nose, and variable dyspnea about a year after he had started to work in the cytotoxic drugs production with exposure to potassium tetrachloroplatinate(II) (K(2)PtCl(4)). He was immediately removed from his workplace and admitted for a medical opinion about 6 months afterwards. Spirometry was normal, but asthma was corroborated by a positive response to methacholine. The results of skin prick testing could not be interpreted due to urticaria factitia. Challenge with K(2)PtCl(4) by a dosimeter method yielded a clear immediate-type reaction with an increase of exhaled nitric oxide from 32 to 156 ppb after 24 h indicating an increased airway inflammation. Pt salts with four halide ligands like K(2)PtCl(4) may cause an allergic immediate-type reaction and occupational asthma. Workers in the production of Pt-containing cytotoxic drugs with exposure to these substances should be included in medical surveillance programs for the prevention of occupational asthma caused by Pt salts.

Riscos químicos a que estão submetidos os trabalhadores de enfermagem: uma revisão de literatura

O estudo consiste em levantamento bibliográfico nas bases de dados LILACS, MEDLINE e ILO-CIS BULLETIN - SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK sobre a temática riscos ocupacionais químicos, tendo como objetivo identificar, nas publicações encontradas, os principais agentes que podem favorecer o contato com esses riscos e provocar alterações de saúde nos trabalhadores de enfermagem. Foram encontrados 37 artigos, sendo apenas quatro publicados em periódicos nacionais que relatavam a detecção dos riscos químicos na manipulação de drogas citostáticas, na exposição a gases anestésicos, vapores de formaldeído/glutaraldeído e a gases esterilizantes, entre outros.

Mucocutaneous reactions to chemotherapy

Chemotherapeutic agents are a widely used treatment modality. Side effects range from common to unusual and may be confused with other cutaneous sequelae of oncologic treatment. The goal of this communication is to elaborate on previous descriptions of the cutaneous manifestations of chemotherapeutic treatment and to discuss more recent findings.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

At the conclusion of this learning activity, participants should be able to generate a differential diagnosis of possible etiologies for varying patterns of cutaneous involvement in patients receiving chemotherapy and identify the various cutaneous side effects of chemotherapeutic treatment. In addition, they should be able to distinguish life-threatening side effects that require immediate management from more benign manifestations of chemotherapeutic treatment.