Occupational Lung Disease Lecture Powerpoint Flashcards
Occupational lung disease definition
Occur from harmful particles, mists, vapors or gases that are inhaled (toxicity of substance and duration of exposure) usually while a person works that overwhelms the body’s natural defenses, with type of disease depending on size and kind of particle inhaled
Large particles when inhaled deposit primarilly in the ____, while smaller in the ___
upper airways (nose, pharynx, larynx), lower airway (alveoli)
Soluble gases are absorbed in what part of the respiratory tract? What about insoluble?
Upper mucus membranes causing inflammation and tearing up (chlorine, ammonia), lower airways (nitrous dioxide, ozone)
Parenchymal lung disease from inhalation is caused by what size particle?
Small (has to be small to get down into the lower airways)
Signs and symptoms of occupational lung disease (5)
- cough
- dyspnea
- chest pain
- chest tightness
- temporal relationship to work
Diagnostic studies for occupational lung disease (4)
- CT of chest (best)
- CXR
- PFTs
- diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide
Most common form of occupational lung disease
Occupational asthma
Irritant asthma vs hypersensitivity asthma
Irritant asthma comes on almost immediately after exposure to the substance while hypersensitivity comes on within an hour or more
Occupational asthma diagnosis (3)
- clinical diagnosis
- pulmonary function tests
- allergy testing
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis definition
ORGANIC dust disease autoimmune reaction from inhalation of antigens
2 most common types of hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- farmers lung
- pigeon breeders disease
3 main types of pneumoconiosis
- asbestosis
- silicosis
- coal worker pneumoconiosis
X ray findings of severe pneumoconiosis
- ground glass infiltrates
- honeycombing (worsened fibrosis)
Coal workers pneumoconiosis
Commonly called black lung, disease characteristic of older workers of coal industry, characterized by deposition of black pigment in lung, typically presents with chronic cough and phlegm production, and in severe cases progressive emphysema
Most common earliest symptom of asbestosis
-insidious onset of breathlessness with exertion
Silicosis patients have higher incidence of developing what?
Active TB and other mycobacterial disease
Characteristic x ray finding in silicosis patients
egg shell calcifications
Byssinosis definition
Also known as brown lung disease (lungs dont actually turn brown) seen in people who work with cotton, flax, hemp, etc, usually experience symptoms immediately on the first day of work and chronic exposure results in fibrosis even if they feel like they are getting better
Silo fillers disease occurs from inhaling what fumes?
Nitrogen dioxide
Beryllium disease definition
Found often in x ray tubes, computers, dental alloys, seen only in those with sensitivity at low levels of exposure as acts as an immune mediated systemic disorder
Berylium lymphocyte proliferation test
Checks for Berylium sensitivity causing and differentiating berylium disease from other occupational lung diseases