| Disease/Syndrome |
Silicosis, complicated |
|---|
| Category |
Interstitial Lung Disease |
|---|
| Acute/Chronic |
Chronic |
|---|
| Synonyms |
Progressive Massive Fibrosis; Conglomerate silicosis; Silica pneumoconiosis, complicated; |
|---|
| Biomedical References |
Search PubMed |
|---|
| Comments |
Complicated silicosis refers to the development of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) in which pulmonary nodules (typically 2-6 mm in diameter) coalesce into larger conglomerations. PMF has been observed to develop in a small percentage of patients with simple chronic silicosis and a large percentage of patients with accelerated silicosis. Accelerated silicosis is similar to simple silicosis, but the disease develops after a heavier exposure over a shorter time period. The latency is 2 to 5 years for accelerated silicosis, versus greater than 10 years for simple silicosis. Accelerated silicosis follows a course of increasing dyspnea. [LaDou, p. 326-7] The prevalence of accelerated silicosis was 29% in a cross-sectional study of 574 Chinese gold miners (rock drillers) exposed for an average of 5.6 years. [PMID 17948247] "Overall the evidence is still too sparse to be summarized as conclusive, but it seems very probable that silica causes kidney disease." [PMID 15940719] Silicosis is associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases. [PMID 16691610, 11811933, and 17036363] |
|---|
| Latency/Incubation |
Years to decades |
|---|
| Diagnostic |
Chest x-ray; Pulmonary function test |
|---|
| ICD-9 Code |
502 |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| Reference Link |
OSHA - Silica |
|---|
| Related Information in Haz-Map |
|---|
| Symptoms/Findings |
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
|
|---|
| Job Tasks |
High risk job tasks associated with this disease:
- Blast, drill, remove, or crush rock, concrete or brick
- Grind or cut tiles, stones, concrete, bricks, or terrazzo
- Load or dump dusty rock, stone, or sand
- Make products from silica powder/stone or other fibrogenic minerals
- Use abrasives containing silica or silicon carbide
- Use hand-held saw or grinder to remove brick mortar
|
|---|
| Agents |
Hazardous agents that cause the occupational disease:
|
|---|
|
|
