Mineral dust and pulmonary lesions: Etiological link or epiphenomenon?

Langer, Arthur M.

doi:10.1002/ajim.4700060302

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A potential danger of indiscriminate use of these techniques is that the finding of metallic elements in certain disease states may be unduly associated with a causative role of these elements [236]. Only properly conducted studies, including experimental studies, will prevent such erroneous conclusions being drawn, although case reports will continue to be helpful in suggesting possible associations and stimulating further research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal toxicity and the respiratory tract

Nemery¹

1990

Eur Respir J

339

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The type of lung disease caused by metal compounds depends on the nature of the offending agent, its physicochemical form, the dose, exposure conditions and host factors. The fumes or gaseous forms of several metals, e.g. cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickel carbonyl (Nl(CO)4, zinc chloride (ZnCl2), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), may lead to acute chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary oedema or to acute tracheobronchitis. Metal fume fever, which may follow the inhalation of metal fumes e.g. zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and many others, is a poorly understood influenza-like reaction, accompanied by an acute self-limiting neutrophil alveolitis. Chronic obstructive lung disease may result from occupational exposure to mineral dusts, including probably some metallic dusts, or from jobs involving the working of metal compounds, such as welding. Exposure to cadmium may lead to emphysema. Bronchial asthma may be caused by complex platinum salts, nickel, chromium or cobalt, presumably on the basis of allergic sensitization. The cause of asthma in aluminium workers is unknown. It is remarkable that asthma induced by nickel (Ni) or chromium (Cr) is apparently infrequent, considering their potency and frequent involvement as dermal sensitizers. Metallic dusts deposited in the lung may give rise to pulmonary fibrosis and functional impairment, depending on the fibrogenic potential of the agent and on poorly understood host factors. Inhalation of iron compounds causes siderosis, a pneumoconiosis with little or no fibrosis. Hard metal lung disease is a fibrosis characterized by desquamative and giant cell interstitial pneumonitis and is probably caused by cobalt, since a similar disease has been observed in workers exposed to cobalt in the absence of tungsten carbide. Chronic beryllium disease is a fibrosis with sarcoid-like epitheloid granulomas and is presumably due to a cell-mediated immune response to beryllium. Such a mechanism may be responsible for the pulmonary fibrosis occasionally found in subjects exposed to other metals e.g. aluminium (Al), titanium (Ti), rare earths. The proportion of lung cancer attributable to occupation is around 15%, with exposure to metals being frequently incriminated. Underground mining of e.g. uranium or iron is associated with a high incidence of lung cancer, as a result of exposure to radon. At least some forms of arsenic, chromium and nickel are well established lung carcinogens in humans. There is also evidence for increased lung cancer mortality in cadmium workers and in iron or steel workers.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal toxicity and the respiratory tract

Nemery¹

1990

Eur Respir J

339

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Gallium⁶⁷ Scintigraphy in the Evaluation of the Occupational Interstitial Lung Diseases

Rubino

1986

American J Industrial Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Metal‐Induced Lung Disease: Lessons from Japan's Experience

Kusaka

Sato

Suganuma

et al. 2001

Journal of Occupational Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Metal-Induced Lung Disease: Lessons from Japan's Experience: Yukinori KUSAKA, et al. Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Fukui Medical University-Metals inducing occupational respiratory diseases, e.g. metal fever, acute and chronic pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer are described. The metals mentioned are the following:

show abstract

Mineral dust and pulmonary lesions: Etiological link or epiphenomenon?

Cited by 4 publications

References 6 publications

Metal toxicity and the respiratory tract

Metal toxicity and the respiratory tract

Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Gallium⁶⁷ Scintigraphy in the Evaluation of the Occupational Interstitial Lung Diseases

Metal‐Induced Lung Disease: Lessons from Japan's Experience

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Mineral dust and pulmonary lesions: Etiological link or epiphenomenon?

Cited by 4 publications

References 6 publications

Metal toxicity and the respiratory tract

Metal toxicity and the respiratory tract

Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Gallium67 Scintigraphy in the Evaluation of the Occupational Interstitial Lung Diseases

Metal‐Induced Lung Disease: Lessons from Japan's Experience

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Gallium⁶⁷ Scintigraphy in the Evaluation of the Occupational Interstitial Lung Diseases