Criteria for diagnosis of acute irritant-induced asthma

A documented absence of previous respiratory complaints.

The onset of symptoms should occur after a single specific exposure.

The exposure should be to a gas, smoke, fume, or vapor with irritant qualities that was present in very high concentrations.

The onset of symptoms should occur within 24 hours of exposure and should persist for at least three months.

The symptoms should simulate asthma with cough, wheezing, and dyspnea.

Pulmonary function tests should reveal reversible airflow obstruction and/or nonspecific bronchial hyper-responsiveness to methacholine or histamine.

Other types of pulmonary diseases should be ruled out.

Adapted from: Brooks, SM, Weiss, MA, Bernstein, IL, Chest 1985; 88:376.

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