Lung function in silicosis

Abstract

In order to assess the effect of silicosis on lung function, 61 gold miners with radiological silicosis were compared with 61 controls. Each pair was matched for age, dust exposure, and smoking habits. A full range of lung function tests was performed, and with two exceptions the results showed no significant differences between the two groups. The exceptions are the slope of the alveolar plateau (phase 3) and the closing volume, for which the silicotic cases had significantly higher values. The reason for the higher readings in the silicotic patients remains unexplained.

Lung function decrease in relation to pneumoconiosis and exposure to quartz‐containing dust in construction workers

“…Silicosis is a chronic diffuse interstitial lung disease, caused by long term inhalation of quartz dust. Lung function loss is described in several forms of pneumoconiosis (nodular silicosis [Cowie and Mabena, 1991], mixed dust fibrosis [Begin et al, 1988;Ng and Chan, 1992;Wiles et al, 1992;Wang et al, 1997], and Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis [Wang et al, 1999]) caused by exposure to quartz containing dust, but not consistently. It is recognized, however, that associations between pneumoconiosis and loss of lung function can be obscured as a result of selection bias [Eisen et al, 1995].…”

HETA 93-0791-2701, Oglebay Norton Industrial Sands, Inc. (Central Silica Company), Glass Rock, Ohio.

“…(26,29,30) Published studies suggest that pulmonary impairment, which may be greater among dust-exposed workers who also smoke, is associated with both cigarette smoking and cumulative dust exposure, irrespective of the presence or absence of abnormalities detected on a chest x-ray. (26,30,31,32) Pulmonary function testing revealed that eight (24%) of the 33 participants had abnormal spirometry patterns.…”

HETA 93-0794-2621, Unimin Specialty Minerals, Inc. - Tamms, Tamms, Illinois.

“…(31,32,33) A NIOSH evaluation at this same plant in 1979 found that 7 (27%) of 26 participating current and former workers with one or more years exposure had chest x-ray changes consistent with silicosis. (34) Three cases were identified among 15 current workers and four cases were identified among 11 former workers.…”