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Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical... Apr 2024There is a well established association between silica inhalational exposure and autoimmune disease, particularly in the context of intense exposure. We will provide in... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
There is a well established association between silica inhalational exposure and autoimmune disease, particularly in the context of intense exposure. We will provide in this article an update overview of new sources of silica dust exposure, with evidences of mechanisms from human and animal studies for association between silica and autoimmune diseases, their early detection of silicosis and new options for treatment.
RECENT FINDINGS
New industries such as jewelry polishing, denim jean production, fabrication of artificial stone benchtops, glass manufacturing and glassware has led to re-emergence of silicosis around the world. Silicosis with long term exposure to dust containing crystalline silica has been examined as a possible risk factor with respect to several autoimmune diseases as scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, and some types of small vessel vasculitis with renal involvement. The dust may act to promote or accelerate disease development, requiring some other factors to break immune tolerance or initiate autoimmunity. Autophagy, apoptosis, or pyroptosis-related signaling pathways have also been suggested to contribute to the formation of those pathways with coordination of environmental co-exposure that can magnify autoimmune vulnerability.
SUMMARY
Better understanding the mechanisms that involve silica -induced autoimmune diseases may contribute to early diagnosis.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Silicosis; Silicon Dioxide; Autoimmune Diseases; Dust
PubMed: 38277164
DOI: 10.1097/ACI.0000000000000966 -
Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical... Apr 2024To describe recent findings in endotyping occupational asthma by addressing the role of specific biomarkers. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
To describe recent findings in endotyping occupational asthma by addressing the role of specific biomarkers.
RECENT FINDINGS
Studies on occupational asthma endotypes have focused on immune and inflammatory patterns associated with different occupational exposures to sensitizers or irritants.Sputum neutrophilia has been found in 58.5% patients with occupational asthma caused by high molecular weight (HMW) agents, and work-related dysphonia in patients with occupational asthma was described as associated with sputum neutrophilia too. Neutrophils have been associated also with irritant-induced asthma. The measurement of specific IgE has been confirmed as a valuable diagnostic tool in occupational asthma caused by HMW agents, on the contrary, for most low-molecular-weight agents, the presence of specific IgE has been proven in a small subset of affected workers. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide has been confirmed as a marker of type 2 (T2) inflammation in occupational asthma, mostly when induced by HMW agents (e.g. flour), and it has proved to be more sensitive than spirometry in measuring the efficacy of an intervention.MicroRNA-155 has been shown to contribute to airway inflammation in occupational asthma induced by toluene diisocyanate.
SUMMARY
Occupational asthma is heterogeneous, thus monitoring multiple biomarkers is crucial to understand, which inflammatory responses are prevalent.
Topics: Humans; Asthma, Occupational; Biomarkers; Inflammation; Neutrophils; Immunoglobulin E; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Diseases; MicroRNAs
PubMed: 38295127
DOI: 10.1097/ACI.0000000000000969 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Oct 2023Circadian rhythms have evolved in almost all organisms enabling them to anticipate alternating changes in the environment. As a consequence, the circadian clock controls... (Review)
Review
Circadian rhythms have evolved in almost all organisms enabling them to anticipate alternating changes in the environment. As a consequence, the circadian clock controls a broad range of bodily functions including appetite, sleep, activity and cortisol levels. The circadian clock synchronizes itself to the external world mainly by environmental light cues and can be disturbed by a variety of factors, including shift-work, jet-lag, stress, ageing and artificial light at night. Interestingly, mood has also been shown to follow a diurnal rhythm. Moreover, circadian disruption has been associated with various mood disorders and patients suffering from depression have irregular biological rhythms in sleep, appetite, activity and cortisol levels suggesting that circadian rhythmicity is crucially involved in the etiology and pathophysiology of depression. The aim of the present review is to give an overview and discuss recent findings in both humans and rodents linking a disturbed circadian rhythm to depression. Understanding the relation between a disturbed circadian rhythm and the etiology of depression may lead to novel therapeutic and preventative strategies.
Topics: Humans; Depression; Hydrocortisone; Circadian Rhythm; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm; Circadian Clocks
PubMed: 37678570
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105383 -
The International Journal of... Nov 2023Respiratory diseases of infectious, allergic, neoplastic or degenerative origin are due to the interaction of environmental and occupational risk factors, individual...
Respiratory diseases of infectious, allergic, neoplastic or degenerative origin are due to the interaction of environmental and occupational risk factors, individual susceptibility and other co-factors and comorbidities. Asthma and other respiratory pathologies can be worsened by climate change and exposure to other agents in occupational environments. PubMed and Scopus, and several websites on public and occupational health were queried to find publications and documents on work-related respiratory diseases, asthma, rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumoconiosis and allergic alveolitis in association with climate change. Most of the retrieved articles concerned asthma (75 in Scopus), while the other topics were less frequently covered in the scientific literature, with a maximum of 29 papers for rhinitis and 23 for COPD. The most important terms highlighted by the word clouds were 'health', 'air', 'pollution', and, only for asthma and rhinitis, 'pollen' and 'allergic/allergy'. Website data on public and occupational health, and climate change were reported. Assessment and management of respiratory diseases that recognise occupational exposures should be improved, and more research into integrated approaches should be favoured. Health surveillance practices for workers exposed to agents that cause respiratory diseases should be implemented. The development of biomarkers of exposure, effect and susceptibility needs further study.
Topics: Humans; Rhinitis; Climate Change; Asthma; Hypersensitivity; Respiration Disorders; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Respiratory Tract Diseases
PubMed: 37880894
DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.23.0131 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... Feb 2024
Topics: Humans; Middle Aged; Berylliosis; Metal Workers
PubMed: 38346777
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.221680-f -
Canadian Family Physician Medecin de... Mar 2024
Topics: Humans; Family Practice; Burnout, Professional; Burnout, Psychological; Anger
PubMed: 38499378
DOI: 10.46747/cfp.7003213 -
Korean Journal of Radiology Aug 2023Occupational lung diseases (OLD) are a group of preventable conditions caused by noxious inhalation exposure in the workplace. Workers in various industries are at a... (Review)
Review
Occupational lung diseases (OLD) are a group of preventable conditions caused by noxious inhalation exposure in the workplace. Workers in various industries are at a higher risk of developing OLD. Despite regulations contributing to a decreased incidence, OLD remain among the most frequently diagnosed work-related conditions, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. A multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) is necessary for a timely diagnosis. Imaging, particularly computed tomography, plays a central role in diagnosing OLD and excluding other inhalational lung diseases. OLD can be broadly classified into fibrotic and non-fibrotic forms. Imaging reflects variable degrees of inflammation and fibrosis involving the airways, parenchyma, and pleura. Common manifestations include classical pneumoconioses, chronic granulomatous diseases (CGD), and small and large airway diseases. Imaging is influenced by the type of inciting exposure. The findings of airway disease may be subtle or solely uncovered upon expiration. High-resolution chest CT, including expiratory-phase imaging, should be performed in all patients with suspected OLD. Radiologists should familiarize themselves with these imaging features to improve diagnostic accuracy.
Topics: Humans; Lung Diseases; Pneumoconiosis; Occupational Diseases; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 37500580
DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2023.0274 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Aug 2023To evaluate the effect of protracted low dose, low dose rate exposure to ionising radiation on the risk of cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of protracted low dose, low dose rate exposure to ionising radiation on the risk of cancer.
DESIGN
Multinational cohort study.
SETTING
Cohorts of workers in the nuclear industry in France, the UK, and the US included in a major update to the International Nuclear Workers Study (INWORKS).
PARTICIPANTS
309 932 workers with individual monitoring data for external exposure to ionising radiation and a total follow-up of 10.7 million person years.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Estimates of excess relative rate per gray (Gy) of radiation dose for mortality from cancer.
RESULTS
The study included 103 553 deaths, of which 28 089 were due to solid cancers. The estimated rate of mortality due to solid cancer increased with cumulative dose by 52% (90% confidence interval 27% to 77%) per Gy, lagged by 10 years. Restricting the analysis to the low cumulative dose range (0-100 mGy) approximately doubled the estimate of association (and increased the width of its confidence interval), as did restricting the analysis to workers hired in the more recent years of operations when estimates of occupational external penetrating radiation dose were recorded more accurately. Exclusion of deaths from lung cancer and pleural cancer had a modest effect on the estimated magnitude of association, providing indirect evidence that the association was not substantially confounded by smoking or occupational exposure to asbestos.
CONCLUSIONS
This major update to INWORKS provides a direct estimate of the association between protracted low dose exposure to ionising radiation and solid cancer mortality based on some of the world's most informative cohorts of radiation workers. The summary estimate of excess relative rate solid cancer mortality per Gy is larger than estimates currently informing radiation protection, and some evidence suggests a steeper slope for the dose-response association in the low dose range than over the full dose range. These results can help to strengthen radiation protection, especially for low dose exposures that are of primary interest in contemporary medical, occupational, and environmental settings.
Topics: Humans; United States; Cohort Studies; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; Radiation Dosage; Radiation, Ionizing; Industry; United Kingdom; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Diseases; Radiation Exposure
PubMed: 37586731
DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-074520 -
BMC Public Health Jul 2023Globally, silicosis accounts for 90% of all pneumoconiosis cases and is a serious public health issue. It is characterized by progressive inflammation and irreversible... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Globally, silicosis accounts for 90% of all pneumoconiosis cases and is a serious public health issue. It is characterized by progressive inflammation and irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. A comprehensive analysis at temporal, spatial and population levels with the most updated data from GBD 2019 is provided in this study to estimate the disease burden of silicosis from 1990 to 2019 and make predictions to 2029.
METHODS
We delineated silicosis data on incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as well as age-standardized rates (ASRs) across 30 years from GBD 2019. Joinpoint regression analysis was employed to detect temporal changes and estimate annual percentage change (APC) of each trend segment. Measures were stratified by time, location, age, and sociodemographic index (SDI). Back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model was applied to elaborate ASR trends from 1990 to 2019 and projections to the next 10 years.
RESULTS
Globally, silicosis incident, prevalent cases, and DALYs increased by 64.6%, 91.4%, and 20.8%, respectively. However, all the corresponding ASRs showed overall downward trends with an estimated average APC (AAPC) of -0.5(-0.7 to -0.3), -0.2(-0.5 to 0.0), and - 2.0(-2.2 to -1.8), respectively. Middle and high-middle SDI regions carried the heaviest disease burden. The highest disease burden of silicosis was mainly transferred to the older from 1990 to 2019. The trend of ASRs demonstrated a rapid decline between 2005 and 2019, followed by a continuous decline until 2029.
CONCLUSION
Though disease burden of silicosis has been on a decline in general from 1990 to 2019, which shows a promising prospect but cannot be ignored. We should pay more attention to implementing preventive tactics and improving the life quality of present sufferers.
Topics: Humans; Cost of Illness; Global Burden of Disease; Global Health; Incidence; Prevalence; Quality of Life; Quality-Adjusted Life Years; Silicosis
PubMed: 37461046
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16295-2 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023Work stress is a frequent factor in the development of depression. However, not only workplace environment, but also personal attitudes may affect stress experience. The...
INTRODUCTION
Work stress is a frequent factor in the development of depression. However, not only workplace environment, but also personal attitudes may affect stress experience. The aim of this study was to investigate the change sensitivity of occupational attitudes in psychosomatic inpatients and assess the relationship of changes to depressive symptom reduction.
METHODS
The data set encompassed = 1708 inpatients from two German psychosomatic rehabilitation clinics at admission and discharge. Responsivity of AVEM measures was evaluated by Bonferroni-corrected t-tests and Cohen's d effect sizes for paired samples. The relation of occupational behavior and experience patterns and depressive symptoms as assessed by the BDI-II questionnaire was calculated by Pearson correlation analysis of pre-post differential values.
RESULTS
Changes in work attitudes were found on eight out of eleven AVEM subscales ( ≤ 0.001, Cohen's = -0.45 to 0.43) and all AVEM coping styles. Most patients (57.4%) were classified to have a Burnout occupational coping style at admission. Changes following rehabilitation were most frequently observed from Burnout to Sparing coping styles (8.3%). Small to moderate associations between changes in occupational attitudes and depressive symptom reduction were found for all subscales ( = -0.39 to 0.25) except work ambition, and for occupational coping styles Burnout ( = 0.19), Sparing ( = -0.18) and Healthy ( = -0.10), but not Ambitious.
DISCUSSION
The data support responsivity of occupational behavior and experience patterns within a psychosomatic rehabilitation setting. Correlations with depressive symptom reduction suggest that occupational attitudes are related but separate treatment targets.
Topics: Humans; Adaptation, Psychological; Stress, Psychological; Depression; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Stress; Burnout, Professional
PubMed: 38170056
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1271486