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

Two patients of ataxic sensory neuropathy associated with silicosis were studied. Case 1 is a 53-year-old (in 1979) man who was a stonecutter for 40 years and diagnosed as silicosis in 1973. Case 2 is a 64-year-old (in 1984) man who was a glasscutter for 30 years and had been treated for silicosis from 1980 to 1982. Both patients developed dysesthesias in the hands, feet and face asymmetrically and gait ataxia over a few months. Vibratory and joint position senses were profoundly diminished but were accompanied by only mildly decreased pain and temperature sensations. Their muscle power was almost unchanged. Both had absent muscle power was almost unchanged. Both had absent muscle stretch reflexes. Sensory nerve conduction velocities were absent and motor nerve studies were almost normal. Nerve biopsy in case 2 showed a severe loss of large myelinaed fibers, and no inflammatory infiltrates and onion bulb formations. Although these findings suggested the carcinomatous neuropathy, we could not find any malignancy. Both patients had elevated polyclonal gamma-globulin levels and rheumatoid factors and, in case 2 an increase of IgG in serum. Cerebrospinal fluid showed an albumino-cytogenic dissociation and steroid therapy was successful in both patients. Case 1 died of pneumonia in 1989. Though an autopsy was not performed, his condition had continued to improve without signs of malignancy during 10 years. The condition of case 2 has also continued to improve, although ataxias remain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:[Two cases of ataxic sensory neuropathy associated with silicosis]. 217 42

Exposure to silica minerals is associated with silicosis and autoimmune disorders, especially systemic scleroderma. Evidence of this association has been increasingly reported in the last decade. The aim of this paper is to discuss, on the basis of a literature review, the case of a 28-year-old female dental technician who suffered from episodes of weakness, arthralgia, pain, swelling and stiffness of the fingers, dyspnoea with cough, a positive Waaler-Rose reaction, increased rheumatoid factor and normal ESR. She was a non-smoker. A rheumatoid syndrome with lung interstitial disorder, associated with silica exposure from dental ceramic products, was diagnosed. The patient had the HLA-A2-A31, HLA-B51-B18 and HLA-DR3-DR11 haplotypes, some of which are associated with autoimmune disease susceptibility. A 6-month follow-up, with adequate protection and without treatment, showed disappearance of the symptomatology and negative tests for Waaler-Rose reaction and rheumatoid factor. Exposure to silica should, therefore, be sought in the history of any patient with autoimmune or lupus-like syndrome and pulmonary changes. Symptoms associated with silica dust exposure from dental ceramic products should be recognised as being due potentially to an occupational disease, and dental technicians should be protected as workers at risk.
 ...
PMID:Rheumatoid syndrome associated with lung interstitial disorder in a dental technician exposed to ceramic silica dust. A case report and critical literature review. 1195 93

Erasmus syndrome is defined as the association of silica exposure and subsequent development of systemic sclerosis. The limited number of cases reported in the literature mainly involves miners and only sporadically other professionals. We describe a case of Erasmus syndrome in a marble worker. A 68 year old man came to our observation complaining pelvic and scapular girdle pain, evening fever, intense weakness and emaciation for about 1 month. He also reported to have had Raynaud's phenomenon in his hands for the last 13 years. Also, his occupational history revealed a chronic exposure to silica dust. The patient presented pain in his shoulders and hips, moderate skin thickening and sclerosis in his hands and fingers extending proximally to his wrists. The diagnosis of systemic sclerosis was determined according to his clinical and medical history, the positivity of anti-Scl 70 antibodies, the nailfold capillaroscopy suggestive of an active scleroderma pattern and the detection of a mild restrictive pulmonary syndrome. The evaluation of the organbased complications excluded a gastroenterological and cardiovascular involvement, while the chest computed tomography (CT) detected multiple small nodules with a mantle distribution and enlarged lymph nodes with no signs of interstitial lung disease and fibrosis. Additional tests (positron emission tomography-CT, flexible bronchoscopy and broncho-alveolar lavage) excluded infectious diseases and cancer. However, given the pulmonary involvement, we performed a histological examination of the parenchyma and lymph nodes, which revealed a picture of pneumoconiosis. In the end, the occupational history and the findings from the diagnostic procedures led to the diagnosis of pulmonary silicosis. The precise definition of the pulmonary involvement was essential to the therapeutic approach to this patient.
...
PMID:Erasmus syndrome in a marble worker. 2687 91

Stephania Tetrandrae Radix is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines, which has bitter and pungent taste as well as cold properties. It can subside edema, get rid of rheumatism and relieve pain. Therefore, it is mainly used for the treatment of rheumatism arthralgia, edema, dysuria, athlete's foot, swollen wet sores and other diseases in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). Stephania Tetrandrae Radix is mainly composed of dual-benzyl isoquinoline alkaloids, including tetrandrine, fangchinoline and so on. Modern pharmacology research shows that Stephania Tetrandrae Radix and its main components have a wide range of pharmacological activities in the anti-inflammatory, anti-pathogenic microorganisms, anti-tumor, anti-hypertensive, anti-arrhythmic, anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-fibrosis, anti-silicosis, inhibiting scar and other aspects, with broad application prospect. Stephania Tetrandrae Radix is often applied with compatibility of other Chinese medicines in clinically, and has achieved obvious effects in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, liver ascites and other diseases. There are some representative prescriptions, such as Fangji Fuling decoction, Fangji huangqi decoction, Jijiao Lizhuang pill, Xuanbi decoction, and compound Hanfangji granule. In this paper, the pharmacological effects and clinical applications of Stephania Tetrandrae Radix in the past ten years were reviewed, providing reference for its further development and application.
 ...
PMID:[Research progress on pharmacological action and clinical application of Stephania Tetrandrae Radix]. 2895 29

A 63-year-old man with occupational exposure to silica presented with cutaneous ulcer, pleuritic pain, and a fever. Laboratory data showed lymphopenia and positive serum antinuclear and anti-DNA antibodies. Computed tomography of the chest showed egg shell-like calcification of the hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes without pulmonary parenchymal involvement of silicosis. A surgical biopsy showed silicotic nodules with surrounding infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the parietal pleura. With a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic corticosteroid therapy was given, which led to the resolution of symptoms and laboratory abnormalities. We discuss the relationship between silica exposure and the development of SLE.
 ...
PMID:Lupus Pleuritis with Silicotic Nodules in the Parietal Pleura. 2927 81

Silicate associated osteoporosis (SAO) was diagnosed post mortem in an adult horse with the shortest documented exposure to cytotoxic silicates of 2 years. The horse was evaluated for a 6-months history of progressive back tenderness and acute onset of lameness. The horse had a marked (4/5) [American Association of Equine Practitioners scale] left forelimb lameness, moderate (2/5) hindlimb ataxia and weakness, and cervical pain upon palpation. Physical examination did not reveal clinical skeletal deformities or respiratory compromise. Radiographs revealed widespread, discrete, sharply delineated, osteolytic lesions in the skull, vertebral column, ribs, scapulae and middle phalanx (P2) of the left forelimb and a diffuse bronchointerstitial lung pattern. The presumptive clinical diagnosis was widespread, metastatic osteolytic neoplasia. Due to the poor quality of life and grave prognosis, the horse was humanely euthanised. Post mortem examination revealed pulmonary silicosis in the lungs and hilar lymph nodes and osteolytic lesions with numerous, large osteoclasts and disorganised bone remodeling both consistent with SAO. SAO should be included as a differential diagnosis for horses with widespread, multifocal, discrete osteolysis and history of exposure to endemic regions with possible cytotoxic silicate inhalation. Exposure time of 2 years is potentially sufficient to develop SAO.
 ...
PMID:Multifocal discrete osteolysis in a horse with silicate associated osteoporosis. 3304 30