SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “PNEUMOCONIOSIS”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Presence of acute phase response in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

To evaluate the role of personal factors in pneumoconiosis, several acute phase proteins were studied in 62 coal miners without acute illnesses and classified as having no pneumoconiosis (n = 19), simple pneumoconiosis (n = 23), or complicated pneumoconiosis with progressive massive fibrosis (n = 20). Groups were similar for age, years of work at high risk jobs, chronic bronchitis, and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). C-reactive protein concentration was significantly higher in the simple and complicated pneumoconiosis groups in comparison with the no pneumoconiosis group. The C-reactive protein concentration was above the upper normal value in 12 (27.9%) out of 43 cases with simple and complicated pneumoconiosis. On the other hand only one case of no pneumoconiosis was above the upper normal range (5.3%), a significant difference taking into account a stratified analysis for chronic bronchitis. Fibrinogen concentration was significantly increased in the simple pneumoconiosis group compared with the no pneumoconiosis group. The value of fibrinogen was above the upper normal limit in 17 out of the 43 cases with pneumoconiosis (39.5%) by contrast with two cases in the no pneumoconiosis group (10.5%). No significant differences in alpha 1-antitrypsin and ceruloplasmin concentrations were found between groups. In conclusion, an alteration in some acute phase proteins related to pneumoconiosis was found in miners. This could be used as a marker of disease activity and personal response against the pathogenic agent.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗

PubMed1998

p53 and Bcl-2 expression in pneumoconiosis-related pre-cancerous lesions and lung cancers: frequent and preferential p53 expression in pneumoconiotic bronchiolar dysplasias.

To explore the mechanism by which lung cancers excessively arise from pneumoconiosis, we determined the altered expression of p53 and Bcl-2 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in lung cancers, dysplasias and non-cancerous pulmonary epithelia in pneumoconiotics in comparison with those from non-pneumoconiotic patients. We examined p53 expression in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and dysplasias separately in the central and peripheral zones of bronchial trees, based on observations that SCCs from pneumoconiotic patients occurr more frequently in peripheral epithelia than those from non-pneumoconiotic patients (55 of 72 SCCs with pneumoconiosis vs. 33 of 72 SCCs without pneumoconiosis). Forty-one of 72 patients with pneumoconiosis-related lung cancers had altered p53 expression, which was comparable to the positivity of p53 expression in lung cancers without pneumoconiosis. p53 expression was observed significantly more frequently in bronchiolar dysplasias with pneumoconiosis than in those from non-pneumoconiotic patients (13 of 23 vs. 4 of 22), while p53 expression was found in bronchial dysplasias with pneumoconiosis as frequently as those without pneumoconiosis. Moreover, in patients with pneumoconiosis, bronchiolar dysplasias exhibited p53 expression more frequently than bronchial dysplasias (13 of 23 vs. 4 of 19). When comparison was restricted to bronchiolar dysplasias from patients without lung cancer, p53 expression had a strikingly higher frequency in the dysplasias with pneumoconiosis than in those from non-pneumoconiotic patients (8 of 15 vs. 0 of 14). Bcl-2 occasionally was expressed in squamous metaplasias and basal cell hyperplasias, in contrast to p53, for which immunostaining was negative in these lesions. Altogether, our results show that pre-cancerous and/or cancerous targets in pneumoconiosis may be distributed over a more peripheral zone than those in patients without pneumoconiosis.

Bronchi↗

PubMed2003

[Pneumoconiosis and mycobacterial infection].

This symposium was organized to provide recent informations concerning pneumoconiosis and mycobacterial diseases in Japan. Pneumoconiotic workers have been decreasing in number and in severity because of change in industrial structure and improvement of occupational health measures. But radiological figures of dust exposed worker are going to be complex and be difficult for diagnosis due to aging, smoking and of complicated respiratory and non-respiratory diseases. Major complications such as pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous pleurisy are decreasing but non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections have become common among dust exposed workers. Dr. Katsuhiro Suzuki (National Kinki-Chuo Hospital) reported pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with pneumoconiosis. A few reports regarding tuberculosis with pneumoconiosis have been published in recent years, particularly in Japan. Thus, clinical characteristics of the cases in our hospital between 1998 and 2003 were summarized here. There were 22 such patients, who consisted of 21 men and one woman and were 49 to 91 years old. There were 19 cases with silicosis, two cases with asbestosis, and one case with siderosis. Bilateral and cavitary lesions in a chest XP were revealed in 82% and 29% of the cases, respectively. Standard chemotherapeutic regimens consisted of three or four drugs with a prolonged period were found to be as effective as that for healthy subjects, judging from the sputum conversion rate after 8 week treatment. Dr. Toshiyuki Yamauchi (Keihai Rosai Hospital) reported, based on autopsy findings, trends in combined-type tuberculosis accompanying pneumoconiosis. The study period was divided into first (1963-1980) and second (1981-2000) stages based on year of patients death. To assess the therapeutic efficacy of antituberculosis agents, patients with combined-type tuberculosis were pathologically divided into those with active tuberculosis and those with inactive tuberculosis. The incidence of active tuberculosis during the second stage was significantly lower than that during the first stage. In both first and second stages, the average age of death for patients with inactive tuberculosis was older than that for those with active tuberculosis. It was shown that active combined-type tuberculosis was resistant to antituberculosis therapy and the prognosis of those patients tends to be poor. But for all patients with active and inactive combined-type tuberculosis, the average age of death was comparable to that of patients without tuberculosis in each stage. The results indicated that the antituberculosis agents were effective to combined-type tuberculosis. Dr. Kiyonobu Kimura (Iwamizawa Rosai Hospital) carried out retrospective studies on some clinico-epidemiologic problems in the cases accumulated in his hospital during the past 49 years. Since his cases consist of various different pathological changes, he has adopted the term "pneumoconiosis complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis" instead of silico-tuberculosis. The results were summarized as follows: (1) The rates of active pulmonary tuberculosis out of 1051 total dead cases were 43.8% (28/64) from 1955 to 1964, 28.8% (62/215) from 1965 to 1974, 24.7% (93/376) from 1975 to 1984, and 10.1% (40/396) from 1985 to 1994. (2) The rates of those who died of pulmonary tuberculosis were 17.2% (11/64) from 1955 to 1964, 9.3% (20/215) from 1965 to 1974, 1.9% (7/376) from 1975 to 1984, and 3.3% (13/396) from 1985 to 1994, respectively. (3) The average age of death of pulmonary tuberculosis has become older and is not significantly different from that of pneumoconiosis patients who died of other cause. (4) The rate of sputum negative conversion was only 9.1% (3/33) during the first 10 years (from 1955 to 1964). On the other hand, 95% (21/22) in the recent 9 years (from 1993 to 2002). (5) Out of the 104 autopsy cases in whom pneumoconiosis and tuberculosis were diagnosed pathologically, 64 cases were combined form of tuberculosis, and other 40 cases were complicated form of tuberculosis. Dr. Hiroki Morita (Asahi Rosai Hospital) studied the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in the patients with pneumoconiosis and the clinical courses of the 4 types of pneumoconiosis complicated with NTM pulmonary disease. NTM were detected in the 73 (29%) of 252 pneumoconiosis. The 14 species (M. gordonae, M. avium, M. terrae, M. fortuitum, M. nonchromogenicum, M. peregrinum, M. intracellulare, M. szulgai, M. abscessus, M. simiae, M. chelonae, M. scrofulaceum, M. xenopi, M. triviale) were identified. In the long-term follow-up study of the pneumoconiosis patients complicated by NTM pulmonary disease, it was very difficult to catch the onset of NTM pulmonary disease because the clinical signs and symptoms were nonspecific and the radiographic findings moved very slowly. Dr. Mitsunori Sakatani (National Kinki-Chuo Hospital) reviewed the laws related safety and health for dust exposed workers, pneumoconiosis and tuberculosis, and he pointed out importance for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and compensation.

Aged↗

PubMed1989

[A pathological study of carcinoma of the lung and pneumoconiosis].

Pathological studies on lung carcinoma associated with pneumoconiosis were made in order to clarify the etiological significance of pneumoconiosis in carcinoma of the lung. Between 1960 and 1986, the author evaluated approximately 450 autopsies of pneumoconiosis. Of these, 150 were consecutive autopsies in our over laboratory and the remaining 300 were kindly provided by other hospitals. Carcinoma of the lung was seen in 48 of the autopsies. Pathological studies determine histologic type, cancer site, and severity of pneumoconiosis were performed in the 48 cases. The severity of pneumoconiosis was determined by the extent of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Simple pneumoconiosis was classified as mild, pneumoconiosis with PMF smaller than segmental region as moderate and pneumoconiosis with PMF larger than lung segment as severe. Carcinoma of the lung was seen in 25 of our own consecutive autopsies, an incidence of 17.9%. The incidence of lung carcinoma was high among cases of mild pneumoconiosis and low among cases of severe pneumoconiosis. Overall, the predominant cancer was squamous cell carcinoma (54.2%) followed by small-cell carcinoma (22.9%) and adenocarcinoma (14.6%). There was a clear trend that most of the squamous cell carcinomas were found in the larger airways, whereas the adenocarcinoma was found only in the peripheral lung tissues. In cases of mild pneumoconiosis, the majority of tumors arose in the right, upper and larger airways. On the other hand, in cases of moderate and severe pneumoconiosis, more tumors arose in the left, lower and peripheral lung areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1998

[Clinical study of lung cancer complicated by pneumoconiosis].

To elucidate the characteristics of lung cancer complicated by pneumoconiosis, we compared the clinical features of complicated and uncomplicated lung cancer cases. The average age at onset was higher for patients with pneumoconiosis than for those without. Because pneumoconiosis presents various respiratory symptoms, subjective symptoms were less important than objective symptoms in detecting lung cancer complicated by pneumoconiosis. Although fiberoptic bronchoscopy was the predominant diagnostic method, it could not be used with the pneumoconiosis patients. Diagnoses of lung cancer complicated by pneumoconiosis were made more after by percutaneous needle aspiration cytology. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most frequent form of cancer in patients with pneumoconiosis, which suggests that the inhalation of carcinogens may play a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. With respect to the smoking index (SI), histological specimens indicated that the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma in patients with pneumoconiosis was significantly higher in heavy smokers (SI > or = 600) than in light smokers (SI < 600) or nonsmokers. It is suspected that smoking affects carcinogenesis of pneumoconiosis. No differences in the distribution of lung cancer (right-left, hilar-peripheral) distinguished the 2 groups. Many of the patients with peripheral-type lung cancer and pneumoconiosis had tumors in the lower lung lobes. These findings underline the importance of encouraging pneumoconiosis patients to avoid lung cancer by not smoking, and to have lung cancer detected in its early stages by undergoing regular medical exams.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Results of pneumoconiosis examination--different trends among industries.

In this report we describe yearly changes in pneumoconiosis patients and pneumoconiosis progression in each industry in Japan, using statistics of Ministry of Labour based on the results of pneumoconiosis examinations performed at plants in accordance with the Pneumoconiosis Law. We found that the number of workers exposed to mineral dust decreased yearly. The number of subjects with positive findings, the number of new cases with pneumoconiosis, the ratio of positive findings, and the incidence rate of pneumoconiosis also decreased. In particular, the number of subjects with positive signs of pneumoconiosis clearly decreased. A similar tendency was seen in the number of cases including voluntary applications. Industry-wise, however, there was a large difference among the industries. The ratio of pneumoconiosis with complications, along with the progression ratio, decreased. Subjects with progressed pneumoconiosis decreased annually, exhibiting less-serious signs and symptoms. There have been reports with a different view about the general trend of pneumoconiosis. We examine and discuss the cause of discordance between the studies.

Disease Progression↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of chest radiography and high-resolution computed tomography findings in early and low-grade coal worker's pneumoconiosis.

INTRODUCTION: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is more sensitive than chest X-ray (CXR) in the depiction of parenchymal abnormalities. We aimed to present and compare CXR and HRCT findings in coal workers with and without early and low-grade coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 71 coal workers were enrolled in this study. All workers were male. The CXR and HRCT of those workers were obtained and graded by two trained readers. HRCT's were graded according to Hosoda and Shida's Japanese classification. After grading, 67 workers with CXR profusion 0/0-2/2 were included in the study. Four patients with major opacity were excluded. Profusion 0/1 to 1/1 cases were accepted as early and profusion 1/2 and 2/2 cases as low-grade pneumoconiosis. RESULTS: Discordance between CXR and HRCT was high. Discordance rate was found higher in the early pneumoconiosis cases with negative CXR than low-grade pneumoconiosis (60, 36 and 8%, respectively). When coal miners with normal CXR were evaluated by HRCT, six out of 10 cases were diagnosed as positive. In low-grade pneumoconiosis group, the number of patients with positive CXR but negative HRCT were low in comparison to patients with CXR negative and early pneumoconiosis findings. Most of the CXR category 0 patients (10/16) were diagnosed as category 1 by HRCT. Eleven cases diagnosed as CXR category 1 were diagnosed as category 0 (7/11) and category 2 (4/11) by HRCT. In CXR category 2 (eight cases), there were four cases diagnosed as category 1 by HRCT. CONCLUSIONS: Discordance between CXR and HRCT was high, especially for CXR negative and early pneumoconiosis cases. The role of CXR in screening coal workers to detect early pneumoconiosis findings should be questioned. We suggest using HRCT as a standard screening method instead of CXR to distinguish between normal and early pneumoconiosis.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Proposed criteria for mixed-dust pneumoconiosis: definition, descriptions, and guidelines for pathologic diagnosis and clinical correlation.

We defined mixed-dust pneumoconiosis (MDP) pathologically as a pneumoconiosis showing dust macules or mixed-dust fibrotic nodules (MDF), with or without silicotic nodules (SN), in an individual with a history of exposure to mixed dust. We defined the latter arbitrarily as a mixture of crystalline silica and nonfibrous silicates. According to our definition of MDP, therefore, MDF should outnumber SN in the lung to make a pathologic diagnosis of MDP. In the absence of confirmation of exposure, mineralogic analyses can be used to support the pathologic diagnosis. The clinical diagnosis of MDP requires the exclusion of other well-defined pneumoconioses, including asbestosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, silicosis, hematite miners' pneumoconiosis, welders' pneumoconiosis, berylliosis, hard metal disease, silicate pneumoconiosis, diatomaceous earth pneumoconiosis, carborundum pneumoconiosis, and corundum pneumoconiosis. Typical occupations associated with the diagnosis of MDP include metal miners, quarry workers, foundry workers, pottery and ceramics workers, and stonemasons. Irregular opacities are the major radiographic findings in MDP (ILO 1980), in contrast to silicosis, in which small rounded opacities predominate. Clinical symptoms of MDP are nonspecific. MDP must be distinguished from a variety of nonoccupational interstitial pulmonary disorders.

Dust↗

PubMed1974

Disability and coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has reaffirmed the view that simple pneumoconiosis does not produce disability or shorten life. This is often true but, without overlooking the importance of chronic bronchitis, such conclusions are wrong in many instances.Chronic bronchitis is probably commoner in miners without pneumoconiosis than in those with it, and an uneven distribution of bronchitis may mask the effects of pneumoconiosis. Cough and sputum in a miner with pneumoconiosis are not always due to chronic bronchitis. Disability is usually judged on measurement of vital capacity and forced expiratory volume, factors which cannot be expected to be significantly altered by simple pneumoconiosis alone. Other tests may show abnormalities which lead to ventilation and perfusion inequalities and to an increase in the ventilatory cost of exercise. Focal emphysema, often a consequence of simple pneumoconiosis, develops slowly and its influence on disability is delayed.Disagreements arise because epidemiologists expect all lungs with simple pneumoconiosis react in the same way, and they want a quantitative relation between simple pneumoconiosis and emphysema before attributing one to the other.There are major difficulties in assessing disability but there is little justification for the regular application of the rule that if the results of ventilatory tests are normal disability is not present and if they are abnormal this is due to something other than simple pneumoconiosis.

Bronchitis↗

PubMed1992

[Relationship between autoimmune diseases and pneumoconiosis].

In recent years, with the aging of patients with pneumoconiosis, autoimmune diseases as a complication have been observed. One of the reasons for this may be that autoimmune diseases are prone to develop among the elderly. On the other hand, it has been reported that dust itself, such as silica for example, has adjuvant effect. A review of the recent literature published in Japan and abroad was made to clarify the relationship between pneumoconiosis and autoimmune diseases and the following results were obtained. 1) Disorders which accompany pneumoconiosis: Scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and disorders of the kidney and liver have been reported. In Japan, about 30 cases of pneumoconiosis accompanied with autoimmune diseases have been reported. In many of the reports, patients with pneumoconiosis and scleroderma have a past history of exposure to silica. In both case studies and case control studies, patients with rheumatoid arthritis and history of silica exposure are prone to develop pneumoconiosis. 2) Immunological studies of patients with pneumoconiosis: As for humoral immunity, elevation of polyclonal gamma-globulin, especially IgG, has been often reported together with high positive rate of autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies. In cellular immunity, decreased delayed type skin reaction and decreased CD4/8 ratio have been reported. In human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing the elevated frequency of DR4 has been reported. In the study of BAL increased production of superoxide anion O2- by alveolar macrophages has been observed. 3) EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES: Silica is well known for its toxicity to cells and also for its adjuvant effect. In the German Democratic Republic, patients with scleroderma and history of long term silica exposure are recognized as patients with occupational disease even though pneumoconiosis is not clearly demonstrated on X-ray film. It is difficult from this review to nrake a definite conclusion regarding the relation between silicosis and autoimmune diseases. There is a need to repeat this review of the literature on autoimmune diseases and pneumoconiosis in the near future.

Aging↗

PubMed2002

[Study on the prevention, control and elimination of pneumoconiosis in fluorite mine].

OBJECTIVE: To prevent pneumoconiosis by strengthening comprehensive dust-proof and controlling its pathogenesis, and to discuss feasibility of pneumoconiosis elimination in our country. METHODS: Comprehensive dust-proof was used for reducing the concentration of dust. Epidemiological investigation of pneumoconiosis was employed for evaluating the efficiency of pneumoconiosis prevention. Prospective tracking investigation was used for identifying the feasibility of the pneumoconiosis elimination. RESULTS: The outcomes of dynamic observation of 35 years from 1962 to 1996 and results of prospective thirty years tracking investigation showed that after comprehensive dustp-roof, the average dust concentration and time weighted mean dust concentration in workers' operating conditions decreased from 366.0 mg/m3 and 163.4 mg/m3 to 1.2 mg/m3 and 1.3 mg/m3 respectively, and the declined rates reached 99.7% and 92.1%, respectively. After controlling pneumoconiosis pathogensis, the incidence rate of pneumoconiosis, its prevalence rate and mortality rate decreased from 24.8%, 85.5% and 5.9% to zero respectively. CONCLUSION: The thirty years prospective tracking investigation validated that the incidence of pneumoconiosis was zero. So the goal to eliminate pneumoconiosis was achieved.

China↗

PubMed2004

[Analysis on pneumoconiosis characteristic and its prediction in one coal mine].

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the characteristic of pneumoconiosis on coal miners and provide scientific evidences for its prevention. METHODS: To analyze the data of pneumoconiosis from one coal mine with the historical study and to predict its development tendency by the grey model of GM (1,1). RESULTS: (1) The year of work experience of pneumoconiosis (stage I) was 19.9 years and the age of its diagnosis (stage I) was 51.4 years. There was an obvious tendency that they became longer with years' back-shift. (2) During near forty years, the progression rates of pneumoconiosis from stage I to II and II to III were 13.6% and 11.2%, and the mean time was 8.3 and 8.1 years, respectively. It was obvious that the progression rate decreased gradually and the span prolonged with years' back-shift. (3) The complication rate of pneumoconiosis with lung tuberculosis was 12.5% and it increased with the progression of pneumoconiosis. The rate in dead cases was significantly higher than that in live cases (P < 0.01). (4) The sequence of death causes was pneumoconiosis (20.0%), lung tuberculosis (18.3%), chronic cor pulmonale (17.9%), and pulmonary carcinoma (9.0%), et al. (5) It was predicted that there would be 28 new cases every year during 2001-2020 years and the accumulated numbers of pneumoconiosis would be 2854 cases in 2020, but with a downward trends in the prevalence of -1.7%. CONCLUSION: It was suggested that the prevalence of pneumoconiosis should decrease obviously. However, it still remains a challenge about the task of effectively preventing and curing it or its complication.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

[Expression level and significance of TGF-beta1, PDGF, CTGF in serum of patients with pneumoconiosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the TGF-beta1, PDGF, CTGF serum expression significance in the occurrence and development of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: The serum levels of TGF-beta1, PDGF, CTGF in 70 patients with pneumoconiosis (including 29 patients with silicosis and 41 patients with coal pneumoconiosis) and 77 healthy individuals were detected by means of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The serum levels of TGF-beta1, PDGF, CTGF in patients with pneumoconiosis were (44.95 +/- 23.72) ng/mL, (56.95 +/- 55.68) ng/mL, (346.70 +/- 259.49) pg/mL, the serum levels of control group were (6.81 +/- 4.99) ng/mL, (30.96 +/- 21.63) ng/mL, (307.49 +/- 235.40) pg/mL. There were significantly statistical differences between the case group and the control group in the serum levels of TGF-beta1 and PDGF (P < 0.05). There was no significantly statistical difference between the two groups in the serum levels of CTGF (P > 0.05). The serum levels of TGF-beta1 and PDGF in the patients with silicosis were higher than those in the patients with coal pneumoconiosis, and there was significantly statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The serum levels of TGF-beta1 and PDGF in the patients with pneumoconiosis decreased with the pneumoconiosis stage going up (P < 0.05). There was the bivariate correlation not only between the serum levels of TGF-beta1 and PDGF in the whole objects but also the serum levels of CTGF and PDGF (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum levels of TGF-beta1, PDGF, CTGF in the patients with pneumoconiosis may correlate with the pathological stages, styles and degree of pneumoconiosis.

Aged↗

PubMed1983

Histocompatibility antigens in coal miners with pneumoconiosis.

Twenty-five histocompatibility antigens have been measured in 100 coal miners with pneumoconiosis attending a pneumoconiosis medical panel and the results compared with a panel of 200 normal volunteers not exposed to dust. Chest radiographs were read independently by three readers according to the ILO U/C classification. On a combined score, 40 men were thought to have simple pneumoconiosis and 60 men complicated pneumoconiosis. The number of antigens tested and associations between antigens caused difficulties in assessing the statistical significance of differences in prevalence of antigens between groups of men. Using stringent criteria for statistical significance, no significant differences were found in antigen prevalences between miners and controls, or miners with simple or complicated pneumoconiosis. When a less stringent statistical approach was applied, three antigens appeared to have abnormal prevalences in these 100 miners by comparison with the normal volunteers. More detailed examination of these antigen prevalences in relation to radiographic category of pneumoconiosis did not provide any supportive evidence that these slight associations were of statistical or clinical significance. Reports on histocompatibility antigens in miners with pneumoconiosis are reviewed briefly and the results compared. There is no good evidence that any of the histocompatibility antigens so far tested are associated with a clinically important altered risk of simple or complicated pneumoconiosis when dust is inhaled.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Aspergillus fumigatus Asp fI DNA is prevalent in sputum from patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an apportunistic nosocomial pathogen in immunosuppressed patients or in the lesion where the local defense mechanism was impaired. Patients with pneumoconiosis are known to be susceptible to chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis. Therefore, we hypothesized that A. fumigatus might be prevalent in sputum from patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis, and also that asthmatic symptoms in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis may be associated with the presence of A. fumigatus. We tested for A. fumigatus in the sputum from patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis by nested polymerase chain reaction amplification of the Asp fI gene. Sequences specific for this gene were detectable in 5 of 11 (45.5%) patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis with asthmatic symptoms (group A), 5 of 10 (50.0%) patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis without asthmatic symptoms (group B) and only 1 of 9 (11.1%) patients with chronic airflow obstruction without pneumoconiosis (group C). The frequency of the Asp fI gene detection was significantly higher in groups A and B than in group C (p < 0.05). The prevalence of A. fumigatus was not associated with asthmatic symptoms. These results demonstrated that A. fumigatus was prevalent in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. We speculate that colonization with A. fumigatus may be associated with this disease.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

[Pathological observation on five autopsies of the alumina pneumoconiosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathological characteristics and the morphological changes of alumina pneumoconiosis. METHODS: The pathological observation and analysis were performed in lungs of five autopsies with alumina pneumoconiosis. RESULTS: The early common pathological change of alumina pneumoconiosis was the dust spots. The dust fibrosis had two forms, one was the non-focal fibrous proliferation of interstitial space, the other was the proliferation of inner-dust-spot fibrosis that finally developed into non-typical pneumoconiosis nodules. CONCLUSION: The pathological characteristics of the alumina pneumoconiosis may not be all the same to those of aluminium and aluminium oxide pneumoconiosis. Alumina pneumoconiosis is a complex pneumoconiosis. The typical pathological changes are the dust-spot emphysema and dust fibrosis of interstitial tissue. Infection in lung and complication of lung tumor, especially pneumo-tubercolosis would promote dust fibrosis. The pleural thickening, the relationship between lung cancer and alumina dust should be taken seriously.

Aluminum Oxide↗

PubMed2002

[Application value of measurement of the regional pulmonary ventilation by electric impedance pneumograph in the clinical diagnosis of pneumoconiosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of clinical application and distribution character of regional pulmonary ventilation of patients with various type of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: 132 patients with various type of pneumoconiosis were observed by electric impedance pneumograph(EIPV) and routine lung function test. The results were compared with the measured value of 100 healthy cases. RESULTS: The regional pulmonary ventilation of the three kinds of pneumoconiosis(founder's pneumoconiosis, silicosis and asbestosis) was increased in both side of upper pulmonary region and decreased in both of lower pulmonary region. The ventilation distribution showed that the right pulmonary ventilation increased predominantly, accounted for 53.03% (70/132) of total lung ventilation. There was significant difference(P < 0.01) compared with the normal healthy men's EIPV, but no difference(P > 0.05) among various type of pneumoconiosis. There was also no difference(P > 0.05) between pneumoconiosis patients with normal ventilation function and various type of ventilation obstacle of pneumoconiosis. One silicosis patient complicated by atelectasis of the left upper lobe, another silicosis patient complicated by lung cancer and their EIPV accorded with their chest X-rays. CONCLUSION: EIPV could not be measured by routine lung function test. It may be the supplement to latter parameter and as a substitute for radio imaging of pulmonary ventilation in pneumoconiosis complicated by other regional pulmonary disorder.

Electric Impedance↗

PubMed2005

[Dust exposure levels and pneumoconiosis prevalence in a lignite coal miners].

The effects of working conditions on health in lignite mines in Turkey have not been studied comprehensively. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of coal miner pneumoconiosis among lignite miners and to evaluate the effects of working conditions. The study was carried out between 2001 and 2003. All workers in the lignite mine and maintenance workers were consisted in the study. A face to face questionnaire was used to obtain demographics and work life variables. Posterior-anterior chest radiograms were evaluated by an A reader chest physician, according to ILO 1980 standard guidelines. Profusion of densities related with pneumoconiosis as 1/0 and above regarded as the "suspected pneumoconiosis". Parenchyma degeneration and/or massive opacities have been accepted as complicated silicosis. Dust concentrations in the work environment obtained from the periodical examinations. Two thousand four hundred and sixty-four X-ray were evaluated and 333 (13.5%) pneumoconiosis compatible changes were found. Among the pneumoconiosis cases, 25 (7.5%) were assigned as complicated silicosis. There was significant and positive association between worked years and pneumoconiosis prevalence (p= 0.019). Our findings indicated that pneumoconiosis prevalence among lignite miners in Turkey comparable to the USA prevalence prior to implementation of effective dust control programmes. It has been suggested that dust exposure in the work environment were high enough to developed pneumoconiosis in lignite mines. Dust control systems and measures should be re-evaluated.

Adult↗