Influence of chlorinated water on the development of allergic diseases - an overview

Indoor swimming pools can be used all year round and serve for one of the most popular sport pursued for recreation The positive effect of swimming arises in particular from the involvement of all the muscles of the body, decreasing the burden on the joints, as well as functional improvement of both the lungs and heart. Chlorine is typically used to disinfect swimming pool water and as a result the changes that take place lead to the formation of by-products, such as monochloramines (NH2Cl), dichloramines (NH2Cl2) i trichloramines (NH2Cl3), trihalogenometans (THM) or haloacetic acid (HAA). The highest concentration of these substances is just above the water surface and they may cause irritation of skin, eyes and mucosa of the respiratory tract. The toxic effect of high chlorine concentration and its side-products on the respiratory system is known, but the effect of low concentrations of these compounds is still not fully determined. Recent studies suggest that development of allergic diseases among swimmers may be increased by epithelial disorders driven by airway barrier dysfunction caused by chlorine irritation. Swimming in chlorinated water may be linked to symptoms of bronchial hyperreactivity, asthma and rhinitis especially in children, elite swimmers and employees of indoor swimming pools. Hypersensivity pneumonitis related to the use of swimming pools may manifest as a swimming pool or sauna user lung, most commonly caused by water polluting pathogens. The article summarizes recent data concerning the influence of chlorinated water on the development of allergic diseases

Influence of chlorinated water on the development of allergic diseases – An overview

Indoor swimming pools can be used all year round and serve for one of the most popular sport pursued for recreation. The positive effect of swimming arises in particular from the involvement of all the muscles of the body, decreasing the burden on the joints, as well as functional improvement of both the lungs and heart. Chlorine is typically used to disinfect swimming pool water and as a result the changes that take place lead to the formation of by-products, such as monochloramines (NH 2 Cl), dichloramines (NH 2 Cl 2 ) i trichloramines (NH 2 Cl 3 ), trihalogenometans (THM) or haloacetic acid (HAA). The highest concentration of these substances is just above the water surface and they may cause irritation of skin, eyes and mucosa of the respiratory tract. The toxic effect of high chlorine concentration and its side-products on the respiratory system is known, but the effect of low concentrations of these compounds is still not fully determined. Recent studies suggest that development of allergic diseases among swimmers may be increased by epithelial disorders driven by airway barrier dysfunction caused by chlorine irritation. Swimming in chlorinated water may be linked to symptoms of bronchial hyperreactivity, asthma and rhinitis especially in children, elite swimmers and employees of indoor swimming pools. Hypersensivity pneumonitis related to the use of swimming pools may manifest as a swimming pool or sauna user lung, most commonly caused by water polluting pathogens. The article summarizes recent data concerning the influence of chlorinated water on the development of allergic diseases

Evaluation of zinc and copper concentrations and the total antioxidant capacity of blood plasma in patients with malabsorption syndrome

Disturbance of the antioxidative-oxidative balance is a predisposing factor in the development of a variety of diseases. Microelements, including zinc and copper, are components of active enzyme regions participating in anti-oxidative systems. Patients with malabsorption syndrome may suffer from diseases related to the chronic deficiency of micro- and macroelements and vitamins, but also experience health problems due to an impaired antioxidative plasma defence, i.e. illnesses caused by oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to assess zinc and copper concentrations as well as the total antioxidant capacity of blood plasma in 33 patients hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine, Metabolic Diseases and Dietetics, presenting symptoms of intestinal malabsorption such as weight loss, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Blood donors made up the control group. Statistically significantly lower concentrations of zinc and copper were found in the study group as compared to the control group for women and men together as well as for women and for men separately (p < 0.05). A significantly lower FRAP (Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma) value as a measure of blood plasma the total antioxidative capacity was found in the study group of men in comparison with men from the control group (p < 0.05). Patients showed deficiencies of the two microelements despite normal values of BMI (Body Mass Index) and laboratory parameters such as haemoglobin, protein, albumin and iron concentrations. Regardless of the nutritional state assessment, patients with malabsorption syndrome should receive adequate supplementation of vitamins and microelements

Evaluation of zinc and copper concentrations and the total antioxidant capacity of blood plasma in patients with malabsorption syndrome

Disturbance of the antioxidative-oxidative balance is a predisposing factor in the development of a variety of diseases. Microelements, including zinc and copper, are components of active enzyme regions participating in anti-oxidative systems. Patients with malabsorption syndrome may suffer from diseases related to the chronic deficiency of micro- and macroelements and vitamins, but also experience health problems due to an impaired antioxidative plasma defence, i.e. illnesses caused by oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to assess zinc and copper concentrations as well as the total antioxidant capacity of blood plasma in 33 patients hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine, Metabolic Diseases and Dietetics, presenting symptoms of intestinal malabsorption such as weight loss, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Blood donors made up the control group. Statistically significantly lower concentrations of zinc and copper were found in the study group as compared to the control group for women and men together as well as for women and for men separately (p < 0.05). A significantly lower FRAP (Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma) value as a measure of blood plasma the total antioxidative capacity was found in the study group of men in comparison with men from the control group (p < 0.05). Patients showed deficiencies of the two microelements despite normal values of BMI (Body Mass Index) and laboratory parameters such as haemoglobin, protein, albumin and iron concentrations. Regardless of the nutritional state assessment, patients with malabsorption syndrome should receive adequate supplementation of vitamins and microelements

Etiopatogeneza chorób alergicznych

Allergic diseases are the most common chronic diseases, particularly widely spread among children, adolescents and young adults. The problem is that there is an increasing incidence of allergic diseases. The causes of such a sudden increase of incidence rate are not well known. Complex interactions of environmental factors seem to play their role in the phenomenon. These include: change in the dietary and hygienic habits, progressing industrialization and increased use of numerous chemical agents. It was shown that inhabitants of highly industrialised nations, as compared to those from the developing countries, suffer from allergic diseases more frequently (most often in USA, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand, least frequently in Eastern Europe, Russia, China, India and Ethiopia), inhabitants of cities rather than those of rural areas, children who have no siblings rather than those from large families [1]. Knowledge of the factors that cause or influence the course of allergy is significant as it can help prevent and properly treat this disorder. It seems especially vital as in some patients allergy can manifest itself in the form of severe anaphylactic reactions, including an anaphylactic shock burdened with high risk of death.Choroby alergiczne są jednymi z najczęściej występujących schorzeń przewlekłych, szczególnie rozpowszechnione wśród dzieci, młodzieży i młodych dorosłych. Problem stanowi fakt, że częstość występowania tych chorób stale wzrasta. Przyczyny tak gwałtownego wzrostu zachorowań nie są do końca poznane. Podkreślana jest rola złożonych interakcji czynników środowiskowych takich jak: zmiana nawyków żywieniowych i higienicznych, postępujące uprzemysłowienie i wzrost stosowania wszelakich środków chemicznych. Wykazano, że na schorzenia alergiczne częściej chorują mieszkańcy krajów wysoko uprzemysłowionych niż krajów rozwijających się (najczęściej w USA, Australii, Wielkiej Brytanii, Irlandii i Nowej Zelandii, najrzadziej w Europie Wschodniej, Rosji, Chinach i Indiach i Etiopii), mieszkańcy miast niż wsi, dzieci nieposiadające rodzeństwa niż dzieci z licznych rodzin [1]. Znajomość czynników, które wywołują lub wpływają na przebieg alergii jest bardzo ważna, aby móc zapobiegać i odpowiednio leczyć te schorzenia . Tym bardziej, że u części pacjentów alergia może objawiać się ciężkimi reakcjami anafilaktycznymi, w tym wstrząsem anafilaktycznym obarczonym wysokim ryzykiem zgonu