A search of the database Ichushi (Japana Centra Revuo Medicana), which collects summaries of Japanese medical articles, was undertaken to identify articles published between 1983 and 2013, using the key word "waterproof". There was one original article and 19 case reports describing acute poisoning due to inhalation of waterproof spray gas, and providing information about the patient's smoking habit. Twenty-three of the 25 cases (92% of male patients, 71% of female patients) had a smoking habit. The one female case who did not have a smoking habit was in an environment exposed to secondhand smoke, because her husband had smoking habit. All cases had respiratory symptoms, and 24 cases had lung edema confirmed by computed tomography. There were no fatal cases among these patients. The one original article reported that 93% of males and 49% of females among a total of 104 cases with acute poisoning due to inhalation of waterproof spray gas had a smoking habit. Accordingly, people with a smoking habit tend to be vulnerable to exposure to waterproof spray gas.
Keywords: ER; hypoxia; lung edema; toxicology; waterproof spray.