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Abstract(Please copy/paste the abstract send to the congress) : |
Title: Asthma and COPD in war-related sulfur mustard exposed patients
Prof. Hamidreza Abtahi, hrabtahi@tums.ac.ir, MD1, 2 and Prof. Maryamossadat Moinazad Tehrani,
matehrani7@yahoo.com, MD3. 1Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Imamkhomeini Medical Center, Tehran
University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; 2Advanced Diagnostic and Therapeutic Research
Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran and 3Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Loghman Hospital, Shahid-Beheashti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Body: Introduction: There is few data about late respiratory effects of war-related sulfur mustard (SM) inhalation. We evaluated non-bronchiolitis obstructive pulmonary diseases in SM victims of Iran-Iraq war 18-22 years after their SM
exposure.
Methods: A cohort of SM patients of a referral clinic with diagnosis of obstructive pulmonary diseases were evaluated.
Comprehensive recording of SM exposure events, demographic characteristics, presenting symptoms and signs, chest X-Ray, inspiratory/expiratory HRCT, baseline and bi-monthly spirometry, and medications was done. The prevalence of
asthma and COPD and their association with age on exposure, number of exposures, mask use during exposure and
history of smoking was studied.
Results: In 100 Iranian SM victims (mean age 43.8± 7.6, range 34-75) years, the study was completed. All patients had ocular and dermal symptoms at time of their SM exposure. 43 and 36 out of 100 patients had asthma and COPD
respectively. 50% of steroid unresponsive and 70% of steroid responsive COPD patients was less than 45 years old.
Asthma prevalence was not different between different age groups. However, asthma accession in the following years in the age group "13-22" years at time of SM exposure is more than older age groups ( P=016). Asthma and COPD prevalence in SM victims were not associated with number of exposures, smoking before or after exposure, and mask use during exposure.
Conclusion: Some features of asthma and COPD in SM victims were different from typical asthmatic and COPD patients and suggest association between these diseases with mustard gas exposure. Only age at time of the SM exposure was a significant risk factor for having asthma in future in SM victims. |