Occupational Pulmonary Disease Flashcards
What is occupational pulmonary disease
Can be acute or chronic
1. Inhalation of noxious substance found in the workplace
2. Smoking often accompanies exposure
How can occupation pulmonary disease be classified into
- Pneumoconioses
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Obstructive airway disorders
- Toxic lung injury
- Lung cancer
- Plural disease
- Other occupational pulmonary disease
How does occupational pulmonary disease occur (steps 1 + 2)
- Particles over 10 microns in diameter deposit in the bronchi and bronchioles and removed by mucociliary clearance, expectorated, or swallowed
- Some of the smaller particles reach the alveoli and are inhaled/exhaled
How does occupational pulmonary disease occur (steps 3 +4)
- Macrophages in alveoli ingest some inhaled particles
- Other migrate into the intertitium of the lung
What is pneumoconiosis (occupational pulmonary disease)
Chronic fibrotic Lung disease
1. Inhalation of inert inorganic dust
2. Range from asymptomatic to severely debilitating, life shortening disorders
*coal workers pneumoconiosis
*silicosis
*asbestosis
What are the three main types of pneumoconiosis and tx
- Asbestosis
- Silicosis
- Coal workers pneumoconiosis
Tx = supportive
What is coal workers pneumoconiosis
- Inhaled coal dust ingested by alveolar macrophages will
*create coal macules 2-5mm in diameter
How will coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) show on X-ray
- Appear as small diffuse opacities
- More prominent in upper lung
*simple CWP and complicated CWP
What is simple CWP
Largely asymptomatic
1. Unimpressive PFT issues
What is complicated CWP “progressive Massive Fibrosis”
- Conglomeration and contraction in upper lung zones
- Radiographic ally similar to complicated silicosis
- Increased gastric cancer incidence
What is caplan syndrome (complicated CWP)
- Necrobiotic rheumatoid nodules in periphery of lungs in those with RA
What is silicosis
- Extensive prolonged inhalation of free silica
*carcinogenic
What was the major cause of death of workers exposed to silica dust
Silicosis
1. Sandblasters
2. Stone cutting
3. Polishing and sharpening of metals
How does silicosis happen
- Silica particles are inhaled and ingested by alveolar macrophages
*0.3 to 0.5 microns - Form small rounded opacities throughout the lung fields
- Calcification of periphery of the hilar lymph nodes
How will silicosis show on the X-rays
Egg-shell calcification