Distinct Clinical Phenotypes of Occupational Asthma due to Diisocyanates.

Abstract

To assess whether diisocyanate occupational asthma represents a unique phenotype. We studied 187 patients with diagnosis of asthma due to diisocyanates confirmed by a positive specific inhalation challenge. The simplified algorithm from severe asthma research program (SARP) (Moore et al, 2010) was applied to classify patients into five clusters. Our patients were allocated in three of the five clusters described in common asthma, since the most severe Clusters (4 and 5) were not represented. Cluster 2 was the most populated, as in common asthma, and included the youngest patients with the shortest duration of exposure to the sensitizers. Cluster 3 included older men patients with worse lung function and longer occupational exposure. Diisocyanate asthma is a heterogeneous disease. Differences across clusters include demographic characteristics, lung function, and chronology of diisocyanate exposure.