Occupational lung disease Flashcards
What is pneumoconiosis?
Occupational exposure to any number of irritants
Miners can develop?
Restrictive pattern of lung disease that progresses to pulmonary fibrosis
What is trapped in the lungs and phagocytosis by macrophages?
Carbon
Due to high levels of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, fibroblast are activated to secrete what?
Reticulin which forms a mesh of collagen
When mesh entraps macrophages and causes them to die and more collagen is laid down, what happens?
Arterioles become strangulated, necrosis occurs, bronchioles distend, fibrosis and emphysema occur
Treatment for pneumoconiosis?
No txt at this time. Manage symptoms, oxygen, bronchodilators, stop smoking, restrict further dust exposures
What is silicosis?
Exposure to silica
Difference in areas affected from chronic compared to accelerated silicosis?
Chronic- nodules in hilar lymph nodes
Accelerated- more widely distributed
Silica in lungs causes these inflammatory mediators to be involved?
Tumor necrosis factor alpha & interleukin 1
In asbestosis, accumulation of abestos leads to increase in alveolar and interstitial macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils which cause?
Fibroblast proliferation and collagen accumulation lead to fibrosis
Later stages of asbestosis physical findings?
Fine-inspiratory crackles, cor pulmonale, clubbing of digits
CXR findings of asbestosis?
irregular bordered shadows of LOWER lung fields, thickened pleura, calcified plaques
This malignancy is strongly associated with asbestosis?
Mesothelioma
What is mesothelioma?
Neoplasm that affects the mesothelium of the pleural cavities of the lung
Clinical manifestations of pulmonary mesothelioma?
Dyspnea, cough, chest pain, fatigue, weigh loss
