Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0037116 (silicosis)
 1,822 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Respiratory symptoms of chronic bronchitis and measurements of lung function were studied in an epidemiological survey of the total population of workers currently employed in granite quarries in Singapore. There were 85 rock drilling and crushing workers with current exposure in high levels of silica dust. Their respiratory parameters were studied with reference to an internal comparison group of 154 quarry maintenance and transport workers with low dust exposure, and an external comparison group of 148 Telecoms postal delivery workers with no granite dust exposure. The highly exposed workers showed greater prevalences of chronic cough and phlegm, a mean reduction of 5% in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). The increased respiratory morbidity were independent of other factors such as age and smoking. Similar results were also noted after excluding those with silicosis (defined radiologically as profusion greater than 1/1 as read by at least two of three readers). This study strongly indicates a demonstrable risk of "occupational" bronchitis (mucus hypersecretion) and obstructive and restrictive lung function impairment, apart from the "classical" risk of silicosis. Measures taken to protect the health of workers exposed to silica dust should also be based on considerations taken to protect against the risk of these respiratory disorders as well.
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PMID:An epidemiological survey of respiratory morbidity among granite quarry workers in Singapore: chronic bronchitis and lung function impairment. 141 76

An industrial hygiene and medical survey was conducted in an iron foundry to study the occurrence of silicosis. Breathing zone exposures to respirable crystalline silica had been very high in 1977 [1 045 micrograms/m3 (geometric mean) for coremakers and 198 micrograms/m3 for fettlers]; exposures in 1980 and 1982 were substantially lower. A radiographic evaluation of 188 workers revealed silicosis in 18 (9.6%). Eight had category 1 profusion of small rounded pulmonary lesions (by the 1980 classification of the International Labour Office); two had category 2; and eight had category 3. Two had progressive massive fibrosis. Four workers without silicosis in 1977 had developed lesions by 1980. The prevalence increased from 1.5% among workers employed less than 20 years to 53% among longer term workers. No association was found between the prevalence of silicosis and cigarette smoking. Chronic cough was more common in workers with heavy current dust exposure than in those with light exposure, more common in smokers than in nonsmokers, and more common in silicotics than in nonsilicotics. A multiplicative interaction existed between dust exposure and smoking in the etiology of cough. Silicosis continues to exist in American foundries. Cigarette smoking does not contribute to the causation of silicosis, but it aggravates the attendant respiratory symptoms.
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PMID:Silicosis in a grey iron foundry. The persistence of an ancient disease. 348 18

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

Bronchiectasis is defined as irreversible bronchial dilatation, leading to chronic cough, sputum formation, and recurrent infections. HRCT plays a major role in diagnosis of bronchiectasis. Most bronchiectasis is either idiopathic or a result of prior infections. Cystic fibrosis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and traction bronchiectasis caused by prior tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and silicosis with progressive massive fibrosis have an upper lobe distribution. A lower lobe distribution is mostly seen in chronic aspiration, hypogammaglobulinemia, Mounier-Kuhn syndrome, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and traction bronchiectasis caused by usual interstitial pneumonitis and nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis. The right middle lobe and lingula are preferentially involved in atypical mycobacterial infections and sometimes in primary ciliary dyskinesia and Kartagener syndrome. A location-based approach may help lead to a specific diagnosis.
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PMID:Bronchiectasis. 2037 62

Broncholithiasis is a rare condition in which calcified material erodes into the tracheobronchial tree. Most are caused from a fungal, nocardial, mycobacterial, or silicosis-related granulomatous lymphadenitis. Over time, the peribronchial lymph nodes become calcified; thereafter, with the normal repetitive motions of respiration, circulation, and deglutition, the calcifications erode into the lumen of the airway. This condition can be challenging to diagnose as its symptoms can mimic many more common diseases. The most common symptoms are wheezing, chronic cough, and dyspnea; thus, it was previously referred to as "stone asthma." More devastating complications can include massive hemoptysis, recurrent pneumonias, bronchiectasis, mediastinal abscess, and fistula formations. Only airways to mediastinal, esophageal, or vascular fistulas have been reported in the literature. This is the first reported case of a patient treated with electrocautery forceps, who developed a mainstem to mainstem bronchial fistula.
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PMID:Mainstem to mainstem bronchial fistula from broncholithiasis. 2320 72