PUBLICATIONS (last update 27.06.2008)
Immunopathology of occupational asthma in aluminium potroom workers Tone Sjåheim’s thesis defended for the medical doctor’s degree June 13, 2008
Conclusions This was the first time that pathological changes in the airways of workers with potroom asthma were examined. The studies revealed that potroom asthma is associated with inflammatory changes in peripheral blood and bronchial mucosa, and that changes in non-smokers are similar to those previously reported in non-occupational and other occupational asthma. Smoking appeared to inhibit the asthma associated mucosal leukocyte accumulation in the asthmatic workers, suggesting an immunomodulating effect of smoking on the asthmatic reaction. The studies revealed further several novel phenotypic characteristics of bronchial T-cells in asthma, in particular regulatory T-cells and T-cell proliferation.
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Airway inflammation in aluminium potroom asthma T. Sjåheim, T. S. Halstensen, M. B. Lund, Ø. Bjørtuft, P. A. Drabløs, D. Malterud, J. Kongerud Occup. Environ. Med. 2004;61:779-785
Conclusions Airway inflammation is a central feature of potroom asthma and exposure to potroom emissions induces pathological alterations similar to those described in other types of asthma. Cigarette smoking seems to affect the underlying mechanisms involved in asthma, as the cellular composition of airway mucosa appears different in asthmatic smokers and non-smokers.
Blood Eosinophils in Workers With Aluminum Potroom Asthma Are Increased to Higher Levels in Non-Smokers Than in Smokers T. Sjåheim, J. Kongerud, T. Søyseth Am. J. Ind. Med. 2007;50:443–448
Conklusions This study aimed to investigate the association between blood eosinophils and potroom asthma (PA). The prevalence of PA was positively associated with blood eosinophils. An attenuation of the blood eosinophil increase was observed in smoking asthmatics, suggesting an immune-modulating effect of smoking.
Reduced bronchial CD4+ T-cell density in smokers with occupational asthma T. Sjåheim, J. Kongerud, Ø, Bjørtuft, P. A. Drabløs, D. Malterud, T. S. Halstensen Eur. Respir. J. 2006;28:1138-1144
Conclusions T-lymphocytes in the bronchial mucosa in workers with potroom asthma are affected by cigarette smoking. Nonsmokers with potroom asthma have an increase in the T-cell subset CD4+, in common with nonsmokers with traditional asthma. However, smokers with potroom asthma have no increase in CD4+ T-cells. The accumulation of subepithelial CD4+ T-cells, which was observed in the non-smoking asthmatics, appeared to be inhibited in smoking asthmatics. This suggests a smoking-induced bronchial immune modulation, at least in occupational asthma in the aluminium industry.
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