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Query: UMLS:C0032273 (pneumoconiosis)
 1,578 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Two epidemiological surveys were made by the same research team on the prevalence and the aetiological factors of chronic bronchitis symptoms in coalminers. The first study was made in a coalminers' community of Belgian Limburg, the other one in a representative sample of coalminers regularly at work. In both surveys an excess of dyspnea complaints was observed in comparison to the prevalence of this symptom in controls. These dyspnea complaints often presented themselves as isolated symptoms, without chronic cough or phlegm production. Dyspnea in excess could not be explained by massive fibrosis. The prevalence of the symptom was not linked, neither to the spirometric values, nor to the results of respiratory challenge tests with acetylcholine, tobacco use, or the length of exposure at the coalface. When dyspnea was associated with cough and phlegm production there was on the contrary a statistically significant relation with the spirometric values and the effect of acetylcholine. It seems therefore reasonable to explain at least partially the isolated dyspnea complaints in coalminers by specific mechanisms not related to bronchitis but resulting from the pathological lesions characteristic of simple pneumoconiosis. Complaints of cough and phlegm production appear as a rule later in the coalminer's life. In the groups taken into consideration in the study they were linked with cigarette smoking which appeared as the predominant aetiological factor for these complaints; in a subgroup a synergic action of coaldust, tobacco use and air pollution could be discussed in this respect. Notwithstanding the pathogenic independence of some dyspnea complaints versus cough and expectoration, it is quite clear that when productive bronchitis develops and causes broncho-obstruction, it may aggravate pre-existing dyspneic patterns.
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PMID:Contribution to the natural history of chronic bronchitis in coal-miners. 55 52

Chronic cough in the sense of the international definition was found in 50.5% of a group of 970 coal-miners at work without pneumoconiosis. In 14.7% of these subjects the cough was without phlegm production. Non productive cough is therefore not a rare event and this symptom may not be neglected in the natural history of chronic bronchitis in coal-miners. The changes in lung function are similar whether the cough is productive or not. In both cases endoscopic and histological features are suggestive of an established chronic inflammatory process. Allergy is not more frequent in subjects with dry cough than in those with productive cough.
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PMID:Prevalence and etiology of chronic cough without sputum production in coal miners. 55 74

Hard metal pneumoconiosis is a recently recognized occupational lung disease associated with the exposure to cobalt fumes in the workplace. Chronic exposure in susceptible individuals results in interstitial lung disease histopathologically manifested as interstitial fibrosis with an associated mononuclear cell infiltrate and the presence of "cannibalistic" multinucleated giant cells in the alveolar airspaces. The majority of patients present with symptoms of chronic cough and dyspnea. Interestingly, in addition, patients uniformly report significant weight loss out of proportion to their degree of respiratory impairment. In this case report we demonstrate the association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and hard metal (cobalt) pneumoconiosis and suggest that TNF may have a potential role in the etiology of the constitutional symptoms and the pathogenesis of interstitial lung disease.
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PMID:Hard metal pneumoconiosis and the association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. 145 82

The predominant shapes of small opacities on the chest radiographs of 895 British coalminers have been studied. The aims were to determine whether irregular (as distinct from rounded) small opacities can be identified reproducibly, whether their occurrence is related to dust exposure, and whether they are associated with excess prevalence of respiratory symptoms or impairments of lung function. Six of the doctors responsible for regular radiological surveys of all British coalminers each classified all 895 radiographs twice and independently, using the International Labour Organisation's 1980 classification system. The majority view was that 39 films showed predominantly irregular small opacities, 131 showed predominantly small rounded opacities, and 587 showed no small opacities. Readers' opinions varied about the presence and shapes of shadows on the other 138 films. In general, consistency between readers (and within readers on repeated viewings) was satisfactory. The occurrence and profusion of irregular shadows were related significantly both to the men's ages and additionally to their cumulative exposure to respirable coalmine dust as determined from 15 years' dust monitoring close to where the miners had worked. For any given level of exposure, the average level of profusion of the small irregular opacities was less than the corresponding profusion of small rounded opacities. The prevalence rates of chronic cough and phlegm, and of breathlessness, were higher in those with small irregular opacities than in those with no small opacities (category 0/0), but the differences were not statistically significant after adjustment for other factors including smoking habits. The presence of irregular (but not rounded) small shadows was associated with an impairment in respiratory function averaging about 190 ml deficits in both FEV1 and FVC. These deficits were not explicable in terms of the men's ages, body sizes, and smoking habits and they were in addition to the lung function losses attributable to the miners' dust exposure as such. It is concluded that the presence and profusion of small irregular opacities should be taken into consideration when assessing the severity of coalworkers' simple pneumoconiosis.
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PMID:Irregularly shaped small shadows on chest radiographs, dust exposure, and lung function in coalworkers' pneumoconiosis. 334 87

The respiratory health of 3,027 carbon black workers employed in 19 plants (18 Western Europe, 1 U.S.A.) was assessed by questionnaire and spirometry; chest radiographs were used to assess 935 workers in the group. The results showed that the group of workers who were exposed to carbon black dust had an increased prevalence of chronic cough, sputum production and wheezing and the mean forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1.0) and flow between 25% and 75% of the FVC (MMEF 25-75%) were significantly less than those of the nonexposed group. Multiple regression analysis showed that the decline in respiratory health was related to the influence of smoking and age, with only a small part being associated with the combined effects of dust exposure and age. A simple type of pneumoconiosis was found in 6 of the workers, all of whom had more than 10 yr of dust exposure. Carbon black should be regarded as a nuisance dust without specific effect on the lungs.
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PMID:The respiratory health of carbon black workers. 361 91

Cough is a common symptom in the smoking and non-smoking patient seeking medical attention from the office-based physician. Often, a comprehensive history and physical examination suggest the correct diagnosis, and specific therapy can be directed to the underlying disease. A chest roentgenogram is an essential part of the workup; it may suggest tuberculosis, chronic fungal infection, bronchiectasis, or lung abscess. In addition, bronchogenic carcinoma, which is increasing in frequency in the population, has several common manifestations that can be recognized on the chest roentgenogram. Pulmonary function studies are often helpful in the workup of the patient with chronic cough. A pattern of obstructive lung disease is seen with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and bronchiectasis. Diseases that cause lung fibrosis, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, and pneumoconiosis, give a restrictive ventilatory defect. Bronchoprovocation testing can be helpful when baseline pulmonary function tests are normal and the diagnosis of postviral bronchitis or cough-variant asthma is suggested. If the bronchial inhalation challenge is negative, these diagnoses can be excluded. Chronic rhinosinusitis with associated postnasal drip is one of the most common causes of chronic cough and is often difficult to confirm because the physical examination and roentgenogram of the paranasal sinuses may be normal. In a great majority of patients with chronic cough, a diagnosis can be established by simple, clinical and laboratory procedures used in the outpatient setting.
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PMID:Chronic cough. Diagnosis and treatment. 384 18

An epidemiologic study on 176 dust workers from various facilities was initiated in 1978. Their mean age was 48.3 years and mean duration of employment was 21.6 years. No workers complained of chronic cough and phlegm. Their chest X-rays were found to belong to Category I of the diagnostic criteria for pneumoconiosis in Japan. Pulmonary function test was performed on these workers, however, 54 workers discontinued taking part in the study by the end of 1979, and 49 workers had discontinued by 1981. A total of 73 workers had a five-year follow-up survey of pulmonary function. Forced expiratory volume in one second divided by forced vital capacity (FEV1.0/FVC) and forced expiratory flow rate at 25% of FVC divided by height (V25/H) were mainly compared by smoking habit, work years, type of job, size of company, and the time when they discontinued their jobs. Predicted percentage values of lung function were used for the adjustment of the influence of workers' ages. Decrement of FEV1.0/FVC and V25/H in the five-year follow-up group were larger than the screening level. The mean values of those functional parameters in the early discontinued group were lower than late discontinued and active working groups. The active working group was considered to be a physically healthy workers' population.
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PMID:Follow-up study on pulmonary function of dust workers: an epidemiological evaluation of discontinued workers of dust operations. 407 Aug 85

Two hundred forty-two Utah underground coal miners volunteered to participate in a respiratory disease study. They were an older group (mean, 56 years of age) and had spent a mean of 29 years in the coal-mining industry. The prevalence of chronic bronchitis was 57%, and that of coal worker's pneumoconiosis, 25%; only one worker had progressive massive fibrosis. Significant impairment of pulmonary function was found among those with a history of cigarette smoking. Chronic bronchitis or coal worker's penumoconiosis among nonsmokers did not impair pulmonary function. There was a significant association among the nonsmokers between increasing exposure to coal dust and coal worker's pneumoconiosis, but not for changes in pulmonary function. Coal mine dust had a significant influence in causing the symptom complex of chronic cough and sputum production, and coal worker's pneumoconiosis.
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PMID:Respiratory disease in Utah coal miners. 722 49

The single-breath nitrogen washout (SBN2) test was used, along with spirometry, in the baseline examination of a longitudinal study in a cohort of active coal miners from North-eastern France. The procedure was computerized, allowing the technician to coach and encourage the subject, and excluding computation errors. While all miners performed satisfactory spirometry, a significant number were unable to meet the National Heart and Lung Institute recommendation concerning a 10% agreement of vital capacities. When the limits were set at +/-12%, 57 miners (24.2%) were still classified as failing to perform. When compared to those who succeeded, those failing proved to be significantly older, had more cumulated dust exposure, a higher prevalence of chronic cough and sputum, and a trend for more micronodulation on the chest radiographs. The ventilatory function did not differ between the two groups. These results confirm previous data on spirometric test failure concerning older age and respiratory symptoms, extending them to the SBN2 test. The present study further indicates that dust exposure and roentgenologic pneumoconiosis nodulation are associated with failure to perform the SBN2 test.
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PMID:The single-breath nitrogen test in coal miners: factors associated with failure to perform. 933 51

This study aims to provide further understanding of physiologic and symptomatic changes and radiographic abnormalities due to exposure to silica, asbestos, and coal dusts. Questionnaires and pulmonary function tests were given to 220 silica, 277 asbestos, and 511 coal workers from three different industries in China. Posteroanterior chest radiographs were classified as stages 0, I, II, and III according to degree of parenchymal fibrosis. Significantly poorer pulmonary function and a higher prevalence of dyspnea and chronic cough were observed in workers with pneumoconiosis than those without, irrespective of dust type. Workers with stages II and III silicosis had worse pulmonary function and more common symptoms relative to workers with equivalent coal workers' pneumoconiosis or asbestosis. After adjusting for relevant confounders, reductions in the spirometric parameters and single breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and the occurrence of respiratory symptoms were associated with increasing stage of silicosis, whereas lower DLCO and the occurrence of symptoms were associated with increasing stage of asbestosis and coal workers' pneumoconiosis. The study suggests that despite the differences in degree and pattern due to exposure to different fibrogenic dusts, respiratory impairments of all of the workers are associated with the presence and progression of parenchymal fibrosis and smoking.
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PMID:Respiratory symptoms and functional status in workers exposed to silica, asbestos, and coal mine dusts. 1109 86


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