Diagnostic Assessment of Occupational Asthma Due to Persulfate Salts in a Professional Hairdresser - A Case Report

Many different causative agents have been ascribed to occupational asthma (OA). Persulfate salts are low molecular weight chemical compounds widely used in different manufacturing processes, particularly in the cosmetics industry. Persulfate-induced asthma may represent 4% of all OA cases, and although the first cases due to persulfate salts were described approximately 30 years ago, the prevalence of the disease, its mechanisms, the risk factors for its development, the value of diagnostic tests, and the progression of these patients remain unknown. We report the case of a hairdresser with respiratory symptoms associated with exposure to persulfate salts. The diagnosis of occupational asthma due to this compound was confirmed only by specific bronchial challenge test.