Use of the specific challenge in the diagnosis of occupational asthma: a ‘gold standard ’ test or a test not used in current practice of occupational asthma?

This review, an assessment of the role of inhalational challenge testing in the diagnosis of occupational asthma, focuses on the difficulties associated with making the correct diagnosis of occupational asthma. This report contrasts the apparent discrepancy between the clinical diagnosis and the diagnosis made by inhalational challenge testing, the 'gold standard'. This disparity has been pointed out by a number of authors, yet this approach to...