Occupational Lung Disease Flashcards
Major airway diseases related to occupational exposure
- occupational asthma
- reactive airways dysfxn syndrome (RADS)
- COPD
- constrictive/obliterative bronchiolitis
Major interstitial lung diseases related to occupational exposure
- asbestos-related lung diseases (asbestosis),
- silicosis
- coal worker’s pneumoconiosis
- hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- chronic beryllium disease
Major Hx questions to determine presence of occupational lung disease
- Where do you work?
- What is your job title?
- What are your job duties?
- What are you exposed to?
- Review exposure assessment: MSDS, OSHA reports, exposure sampling
Major determinants of site/severity of lung disease
- dose: duration*concentration
- solubility
- particle size
Impact of solubility on site/severity of lung disease
- more water-soluble agents ==> upper airway (i.e. nasopharyngeal mucosa, eg, chlorine)
- less water-soluble agents ==> distal airways/bronchioles (eg, nitrogen oxides).
Impact of particle size on site/severity of lung disease
- particles > 10 microns = upper airway
- particles <10 microns are “respirable” = more deeply into the lung
- particles <2.5 microns = small airways and alveoli
Occupational asthma (OA) general characteristics
- airway dz w/variable otuflow obstruction + airway hyperresponse + airway inflammation due to occupational exposure
- caused by agents w/immunologic/sensitizing properties
- OA and asbestos-related lung disease = most common occupational lung diseases
- OA accounts for up to 15% of adult asthma.
OA: causes/mechanisms
i. High-molecular weight compounds – eg, animal proteins, baking flours and enzymes that trigger a specific IgE immunologic reaction
ii. Low-molecular weight compounds – eg, isocyanates, plicatic acid (found in western red cedar), epoxy resins, platinum compounds <== combine w/self proteins to create new “foreign” antigens
OA: Dx & Tx
- asthma w/latency = onset long after exposure
- usually improves w/time away from work
- confirm asthma w/PFTs and imaging
- Tx: remove causal exposure + normal asthma tx
RADS general characteristics
Airway epithelial injury from exposure to inhalants with irritant properties, leading to persistent bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airflow obstruction
RADS: causes & mechanism
i. Causes: exposure to noxious irritant gas/vapor/dusts (eg, World Trade Center workers exposed to high pH alkaline dust)
ii. Mechanism: denudation of the mucosa with fibrinohemorrhagic exudates in the submucosa, followed by proliferation of basal cells and subepithelial edema. May expose airway c-fibers, triggering cough and bronchospasm.
RADS: Dx & Tx
- No latency = sx w/in 24-48 hrs of expsure
- Dx w/Hx, PFTs, imaging
- Tx w/asthma Rx
COPD (occupational): Causes & Mechanism
i. 15% of COPD due to occupational causes including biomass combustion, respirable silica and coal mine dusts (mining), organic dusts
ii. Mechanism: probably similar to tobacco-smoke induced COPD – oxidant injury, imbalance of proteases and anti-proteases
COPD: Dx & Tx
- Sx: cough, sputum, wheezing, chest tightness, dyspnea
- Dx w/PFTs, imaging, hx
- Tx: remove from exposure, COPD rx
Constrictive/Obliterative Bronchiolitis: definition
Pathologic injury of small airways (eg, less than 2 mm in diameter), with extrinsic or intrinsic bronchiolar narrowing