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Occupational asthma following single exposure to polyurethane foam containing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate – A case report

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Diisocyanates are a group of chemicals used in many different applications, such as plastics, foams, coatings, adhesives, and sealants. Prolonged occupational exposure can result in severe asthma. This case report presents a non-smoking male without any previous respiratory disease, where severe obstructive airway symptoms developed during a single event with high airborne exposure to polyurethane foam containing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate during the coating of a large vehicle. The subject was subsequently diagnosed with occupational asthma based on a significant variability in a two-week peak expiratory flow curve and a positive metacholine challenge. Despite aborted exposure and optimized asthma treatment, the subject continued to experience debilitating airway symptoms. This case report demonstrates that severe asthma can develop following a single exposure to polyurethane foam containing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, underscoring the importance of preventive measures in workplaces where such chemicals are used. Occupational exposure to diisocyanates can lead to asthma development One-time exposure without previous sensitization can be enough to cause asthma The diagnosis of diisocyanate asthma should ideally be based on a provocation test

Source: Toxicology Reports

DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.102150

Author: Albin Stjernbrandt

Institution: Umeå University

Language: English

Topic: Occupational exposure and asthma

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,530