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)

In a cross-sectional study of a working population of black South African gold miners, 1,197 men were studied with respiratory and occupational questionnaires, lung function tests, and chest radiographs. The study was designed to examine the effects of silicosis on respiratory symptoms and lung function. A total of 857 men with chronic, simple silicosis and 340 men without silicosis were included in the sample. Other determinants of lung disease including the duration and intensity of underground dust exposure and tobacco smoking were also examined. Three distinct pulmonary disorders could be discerned: silicosis-associated pulmonary dysfunction with dyspnea on effort; chronic airflow limitation, which was related to the duration of underground exposure; and a chronic bronchitic symptom complex, which reflected the intensity of dust exposure in the workplace. Chronic, uncomplicated silicosis was found to be associated with significant loss of lung function, and all of the measured indices, FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC%, maximal midexpiratory flow rate (MMEF), and lung diffusion for carbon monoxide measured by the single-breath method (DLCO) were reduced. When comparing men with Category 3/3 nodule profusion with men without silicosis, reductions of FVC of 351 ml, FEV1 of 447 ml, MMEF of 1.04 L/s, and DLCO of 4.7 ml/min/mm Hg (p = 0.0001) were detected after controlling for age, height, the direct effects of the underground environment, and tobacco smoking. Dyspnea on effort was more common in the men with silicosis (p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Silicosis, chronic airflow limitation, and chronic bronchitis in South African gold miners. 174 61

A patient with silicosis and progressive dyspnea on exertion is described in whom open lung biopsy revealed active chronic inflammation with many macrophages filling alveolar spaces. Because of the extensive involvement by the disease of small air spaces, bilateral whole lung lavage was performed. The lung lavage effluent was striking in its blackish brown color. It was composed predominantly of macrophages containing silica, silicates, and graphite. Particles in the tissue and lavage were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The dry weight of the material removed was approximately 25 g, of which an estimated 135 mg was silica. The procedure resulted in immediate symptomatic improvement in the patient. Although his pulmonary function did not change significantly, it is hoped that removal of this material will improve his long-term prognosis.
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PMID:Treatment of mixed-dust pneumoconiosis with whole lung lavage. 629 21

In order to provide a better objective assessment of exertional dyspnea and functional impairment due to exposure to silica, 153 workers exposed to silica dust (workers) and 62 patients with silicosis (patients) were performed the medical questionnaires with special reference to exertional dyspnea and exercise testing on bicycle ergometer. Complaints of breathlessness were present in 77 (50%) workers and 53 (85%) patients. The findings of exercise tests indicated that there were definite correlations between index of dyspnea (ID), or breathing reserve (BR) and complaint of breathlessness in both the workers and patients. ID increased and BR decreased with the increasing degree of breathlessness. We defined ID > 70% or BR < 25 I/min as abnormal criteria and checked the ratios of dyspnea quantified objectively. Thus, 30% of the workers and 56% of the patients in this study were verified to have slight or moderate breathlessness, which were considerably lower than that derived from questionnaire on dyspnea. OUr results suggest that objective physiological measures like exercise testing may be of value in evaluating dyspnea in workers exposed to silica.
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PMID:Dyspnea and exercise testing in workers exposed to silica. 855 37

A 60-year-old man with pneumoconiosis complained of general fatigue, exertional dyspnea, and anorexia. The patient had severe anemia, and laboratory examination revealed autoimmune hemolytic anemia with positive direct and indirect Coombs tests. After corticosteroid therapy, the anemia resolved markedly, and the antinuclear antibody test became negative. However, the silicotic shadow on chest X-ray film showed no remarkable change. The autoimmune hemolytic anemia in this case was probably due to an immunological disturbance caused by silicosis.
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PMID:[Silicosis associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia]. 858 25

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman, working as a silver polisher since 11 years, complaining of dyspnea on exertion and dry cough. Intensive diagnostic workup, including high-resolution CT scan of the chest and lung biopsy by VATS led to the diagnosis of pulmonary siderosis. Pulmonary siderosis is a benign, non-fibrotic type of pneumoconiosis caused by inhalation of iron oxide, which is generally asymptomatic (except in concurrent smoking or concurrent silicosis). Combination of relevant exposure and the typical findings on CT-imaging (centrilobular nodules without cranio-caudal gradient) usually strongly suggest the diagnosis, but this should always be discussed at a multidisciplinary consultation. This includes discussing whether to perform a lung biopsy for histological confirmation. Cessation of the causative exposure is the only-treatment one can take and then radiological features can improve and even disappear of time. Unfortunately, this treatment has an enormous impact on patient's life because it implies changing profession. Preventive measures can be taken by employers (respiratory equipment and ventilation). This case illustrates that physicians should stay vigilant about occupational exposures in clinical practice as well as the need for multidisciplinary consult in patients suspected of having interstitial lung disease.
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PMID:A woman and her breathtaking jewelry. 3196 Jul 67