Persistent asthma after accidental exposure to ethylene oxide.

He worked as a repairer in a railway station and had never been occupationally exposed to any chemicals until he experienced a leak of ethylene oxide from a wagon situated about 18 m from him when he had no protective respiratory equipment. The smell indicated a high atmospheric concen tration (over 700 ppm).8 After four days of four hours of daily exposure he developed coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing in the work place. These symptoms persisted with daily attacks despite removal from exposure and con tinuous treatment with a ?-2-agonist and theo phylline. He had no preceding respiratory complaints. Tests of pulmonary function one year after the accident showed a bronchial obstruction (forced vital capacity (FVC) 4-65 1/s, 93% of predicted; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEVJ 305 1, 74% of predicted; and maximum