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Pulmonology May 2024Workplace exposures are widely known to cause specific occupational diseases such as silicosis and asbestosis, but they also can contribute substantially to causation of... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS
Workplace exposures are widely known to cause specific occupational diseases such as silicosis and asbestosis, but they also can contribute substantially to causation of common respiratory diseases. In 2019, the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) published a joint statement on the occupational burden of respiratory diseases. Our aim on this narrative review is to summarise the most recent evidence published after the ATS/ERS statement as well as to provide information on traditional occupational lung diseases that can be useful for clinicians and researchers.
RESULTS
Newer publications confirm the findings of the ATS/ERS statement on the role of workplace exposure in contributing to the aetiology of the respiratory diseases considered in this review (asthma, COPD, chronic bronchitis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, infectious pneumonia). Except for COPD, chronic bronchitis and infectious pneumonia, the number of publications in the last 5 years for the other diseases is limited. For traditional occupational lung diseases such as silicosis and asbestosis, there are old as well as novel sources of exposure and their burden continues to be relevant, especially in developing countries.
CONCLUSIONS
Occupational exposure remains an important risk factor for airways and interstitial lung diseases, causing occupational lung diseases and contributing substantially in the aetiology of common respiratory diseases. This information is critical for public health professionals formulating effective preventive strategies but also for clinicians in patient care. Effective action requires shared knowledge among clinicians, researchers, public health professionals, and policy makers.
PubMed: 38704309
DOI: 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2024.03.004 -
Tomography (Ann Arbor, Mich.) Apr 2024Interlobular septa thickening (ILST) is a common and easily recognized feature on computed tomography (CT) images in many lung disorders. ILST thickening can be smooth... (Review)
Review
Interlobular septa thickening (ILST) is a common and easily recognized feature on computed tomography (CT) images in many lung disorders. ILST thickening can be smooth (most common), nodular, or irregular. Smooth ILST can be seen in pulmonary edema, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and lymphangitic spread of tumors. Nodular ILST can be seen in the lymphangitic spread of tumors, sarcoidosis, and silicosis. Irregular ILST is a finding suggestive of interstitial fibrosis, which is a common finding in fibrotic lung diseases, including sarcoidosis and usual interstitial pneumonia. Pulmonary edema and lymphangitic spread of tumors are the commonly encountered causes of ILST. It is important to narrow down the differential diagnosis as much as possible by assessing the appearance and distribution of ILST, as well as other pulmonary and extrapulmonary findings. This review will focus on the CT characterization of the secondary pulmonary lobule and ILST. Various uncommon causes of ILST will be discussed, including infections, interstitial pneumonia, depositional/infiltrative conditions, inhalational disorders, malignancies, congenital/inherited conditions, and iatrogenic causes. Awareness of the imaging appearance and various causes of ILST allows for a systematic approach, which is important for a timely diagnosis. This study highlights the importance of a structured approach to CT scan analysis that considers ILST characteristics, associated findings, and differential diagnostic considerations to facilitate accurate diagnoses.
Topics: Humans; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Diagnosis, Differential; Lung Diseases; Lung
PubMed: 38668402
DOI: 10.3390/tomography10040045 -
BMC Pulmonary Medicine Apr 2024Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with necrotizing vasculitis predominantly affecting small to medium...
BACKGROUND
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with necrotizing vasculitis predominantly affecting small to medium vessels. The survival rates have drastically improved; however, GPA can be lethal, with older patients having a worse prognosis and higher mortality than younger patients. Moreover, the incidence of various cancers has been reported to increase in patients with GPA. We aimed to discuss possible associations between GPA and lung cancer and emphasize the associated diagnostic challenges.
CASE PRESENTATION
We encountered three older patients with chronic GPA who developed lung cancer during long-term follow-up. Two of the patients had a smoking history, with one having silicosis and the other having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Furthermore, all of them had radiation exposure from repeated radiography/computed tomography. All the patients had confirmed GPA, and vasculitis relapse was first suspected when new lung lesions were noted during follow-up. However, they had no new clinical symptoms, and serum ANCA titer increased only in one patient. All the patients received standard immunosuppressive treatment but eventually died.
CONCLUSIONS
Lung cancer is uncommon in patients with GPA; however, the similarity between the imaging findings of lung cancer and GPA may pose a diagnostic challenge. Clinicians should be particularly vigilant when treating older patients with an increased risk of cancer, as they are often asymptomatic or have poorly apparent clinical features.
Topics: Humans; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Aged; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Fatal Outcome; Female; Immunosuppressive Agents; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38649886
DOI: 10.1186/s12890-024-03024-7 -
Molecular & Cellular Proteomics : MCP Jun 2024Inhalation of crystalline silica dust induces incurable lung damage, silicosis, and pulmonary fibrosis. However, the mechanisms of the lung injury remain poorly...
Inhalation of crystalline silica dust induces incurable lung damage, silicosis, and pulmonary fibrosis. However, the mechanisms of the lung injury remain poorly understood, with limited therapeutic options aside from lung transplantation. Posttranslational modifications can regulate the function of proteins and play an important role in studying disease mechanisms. To investigate changes in posttranslational modifications of proteins in silicosis, combined quantitative proteome, acetylome, and succinylome analyses were performed with lung tissues from silica-injured and healthy mice using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Combined analysis was applied to the three omics datasets to construct a protein landscape. The acetylation and succinylation of the key transcription factor STAT1 were found to play important roles in the silica-induced pathophysiological changes. Modulating the acetylation level of STAT1 with geranylgeranylacetone effectively inhibited the progression of silicosis. This report revealed a comprehensive landscape of posttranslational modifications in silica-injured mouse and presented a novel therapeutic strategy targeting the posttranslational level for silica-induced lung diseases.
Topics: Animals; Silicosis; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; STAT1 Transcription Factor; Proteome; Lysine; Acetylation; Mice; Silicon Dioxide; Lung; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Proteomics; Male; Succinic Acid
PubMed: 38641226
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2024.100770 -
BMC Pulmonary Medicine Apr 2024Silicosis people are at high risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis. Whether silica exposure increases the likelihood of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) was not...
OBJECTIVES
Silicosis people are at high risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis. Whether silica exposure increases the likelihood of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) was not well understood, and potential factors involved in LTBI risk among silicosis people were not evaluated before. Thus, LTBI among silicosis people and potential risk factors for LTBI among silicosis people were evaluated in this study.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was undertaken for 130 miner workers with silicosis. The QFT-GIT was performed for LTBI detection.
RESULTS
The LTBI was high to 31.6% (36/114) for silicosis participants, and 13.1% (13/99) had a history of tuberculosis. Drinking was associated with LTBI risk (OR = 6.92, 95%CI, 1.47-32.66, P = 0.015). Meanwhile, tunneling work was associated with an increased risk of LTBI compared with other mining occupations (OR = 3.91,95%CI,1.20-12.70, P = 0.024).
CONCLUSIONS
The LTBI rate of silicosis participants was high and more than 10% had a history of tuberculosis. Drinking alcohol and tunneling were independent risk factors for LTBI in silicosis participants.
Topics: Humans; Latent Tuberculosis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Tuberculosis; Risk Factors; China; Silicosis; Interferon-gamma Release Tests; Tuberculin Test
PubMed: 38622607
DOI: 10.1186/s12890-024-02985-z -
Indian Journal of Dermatology 2024Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis in skin and internal organs. Chronic exposure to silica may not only lead to...
BACKGROUND
Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis in skin and internal organs. Chronic exposure to silica may not only lead to silicosis of lungs but also systemic sclerosis. Systemic sclerosis is relatively commoner in females; however, occupational exposure to silica in males makes them vulnerable to silica--associated systemic sclerosis (Erasmus syndrome).
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinico-epidemiological aspects of systemic sclerosis in males in a retrospective cohort study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The data were analysed retrospectively for demographic profile and clinical characteristics including examination findings, laboratory investigations, and treatments of all male patients diagnosed with systemic sclerosis with or without silica exposure, managed from January 2018 to December 2021.
RESULTS
Eight out of twelve patients were having silica exposure in the form of stone cutting, cement exposure, and working with concrete. The average age was 55 ± 10.72 years with average smoking exposure of around 24.4 ± 12.8 pack years. Skin thickening was reported by all patients with an average modified Rodnan score of 18.33/51 in diffuse and 7/51 in limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis. Raynaud's phenomenon and sclerodactyly were universal findings, while 9 (75%) patients had digital pitted scars. Antinuclear antibodies were present in all patients and specific antibodies substantiated the clinical assessment in almost all patients. Interstitial lung disease was the most common systemic finding present in 11 (91%) patients and tuberculosis was diagnosed in 2 (25%) cases with silica exposure. Gastrointestinal and cardiac system involvement was seen in 5 (41.6%) and 4 (33.3%) patients, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Systemic sclerosis in males against the gender predilection indicates the role of occupational exposure. Silicosis and systemic sclerosis synergistically add to lung damage, and at the same time, these patients are more prone to infections like tuberculosis.
PubMed: 38572051
DOI: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_531_23 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Apr 2024Pneumoconiosis is one of the most serious occupational diseases worldwide. Silicosis due to prolonged inhalation of free silica dust during occupational activities is...
Pneumoconiosis is one of the most serious occupational diseases worldwide. Silicosis due to prolonged inhalation of free silica dust during occupational activities is one of the main types. Cuproptosis is a newly discovered mode of programmed cell death characterized by the accumulation of free copper in the cell, which ultimately leads to cell death. Increased copper in the serum of silicosis patients, suggests that the development of silicosis is accompanied by changes in copper metabolism, but whether cuproptosis is involved in the progression of silicosis is actually to be determined. To test this hypothesis, we screened the genetic changes in patients with idiopathic fibrosis by bioinformatics methods and predicted and functionally annotated the cuproptosis-related genes among them. Subsequently, we established a mouse silicosis model and detected the concentration of copper ions and the activity of ceruloplasmin (CP) in serum, as well as changes of the concentration of copper and cuproptosis related genes in mouse lung tissues. We identified 9 cuproptosis-related genes among the differential genes in patients with IPF at different times and the tissue-specific expression levels of ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) and Lipoyl synthase (LIAS) proteins. Furthermore, serum CP activity and copper ion levels in silicosis mice were elevated on days 7th and 56th after silica exposure. The expression of CP in mouse lung tissue elevated at all stages after silica exposure. The mRNA level of FDX1 decreased on days 7th and 56th, and the protein level remained in accordance with the mRNA level on day 56th. LIAS and Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) levels were downregulated at all times after silica exposure. In addition, Heatshockprotein70 (HSP70) expression was increased on day 56. In brief, our results demonstrate that there may be cellular cuproptosis during the development of experimental silicosis in mice and show synchronization with enhanced copper loading in mice.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mice; Copper; Silicosis; Apoptosis; Computational Biology; Disease Models, Animal; RNA, Messenger; Silicon Dioxide
PubMed: 38564864
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116286 -
Journal of Biomedical Research Mar 2024Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a vital pathological feature of silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. However, whether circRNA is involved in the process remains...
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a vital pathological feature of silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. However, whether circRNA is involved in the process remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of in the silica-induced EMT and the underlying mechanisms. We found that an elevated expression of promoted EMT and enhanced the migratory capacity of silica-treated epithelial cells. The isolation of cytoplasmic and nuclear separation assay showed that was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm. RNA immunoprecipitation assay and RNA pull-down experiment indicated that cytoplasmic-localized was capable of binding to miR-497-5p. Furthermore, we found that miR-497-5p attenuated the silica-induced EMT process by targeting transcription factor 3 (TCF3), an E-cadherin transcriptional repressor, in the silica-treated epithelial cells. Collectively, these results reveal a novel role of the /miR-497-5p/TCF3 axis in the silica-induced EMT process in lung epithelial cells. Once validated, this finding may provide a potential theoretical basis for the development of interventions and treatments for pulmonary fibrosis.
PubMed: 38529638
DOI: 10.7555/JBR.37.20220249 -
Cureus Feb 2024Erasmus syndrome is an uncommon disease brought on by exposure to silica and later manifests as systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without silicosis. The body of...
Erasmus syndrome is an uncommon disease brought on by exposure to silica and later manifests as systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without silicosis. The body of literature on Erasmus syndrome is scarce. Here, we report two cases of male patients presenting with SSc after silica exposure. One of the patients had worked in the steel industry, and another had worked in the sculpture manufacturing for a decade before the presentation. It is imperative to raise awareness of this uncommon illness because avoiding further exposure remains the mainstay of management. Our case reports reemphasize the importance of occupational history in all patients of SSc.
PubMed: 38524014
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54595