Skip to main content
PMC home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1993 Jul;48(7):746–749. doi: 10.1136/thx.48.7.746

Association of silicosis, lung dysfunction, and emphysema in gold miners.

R L Cowie 1, M Hay 1, R G Thomas 1
PMCID: PMC464663  PMID: 8153925

Abstract

BACKGROUND--In an earlier study of gold miners men with silicosis were found to have abnormal lung function, including airflow obstruction and reduced diffusing capacity. In a follow up study a sample of these men was examined by computed tomography to determine whether emphysema accounted for these abnormalities, which are associated with silicosis in this working population. METHODS--A sample of 70 men from a cohort of older gold miners with and without silicosis who had worked underground for a mean period of 29 years was examined by computed tomography to determine whether each man had emphysema. In addition, each man had lung function tests and routine chest radiography (125 kV). RESULTS--A total of 48 men had emphysema on examination by computed tomography. On the basis of the results in a chest radiograph 55 of the men had silicosis. Emphysema was related to silicosis, being present in five of the 15 men without silicosis and in 43 of the 55 with silicosis. Diffuse emphysema was apparent in two men without silicosis (14%) and in 25 men with silicosis (45%). The proportion of men with diffuse emphysema increased from 14% in those with International Labour Organisation category 0 nodule profusion to 46% in those with category 1, 48% in those with category 2, and 67% in those with category 3. Emphysema was also related to smoking: eight of the 18 who had never smoked and 40 of the 52 smokers had emphysema. All of those who had never smoked and had emphysema had silicosis with category 2/2 or greater nodule profusion. Lung function tests showed changes associated with silicosis that could be explained by the associated emphysema. CONCLUSIONS--In this population emphysema occurred in association with silicosis and accounted for the abnormalities in lung function associated with silicosis.

Full text

PDF
746

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Becklake M. R., Irwig L., Kielkowski D., Webster I., de Beer M., Landau S. The predictors of emphysema in South African gold miners. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1987 Jun;135(6):1234–1241. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1987.135.6.1234. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bergin C. J., Müller N. L., Vedal S., Chan-Yeung M. CT in silicosis: correlation with plain films and pulmonary function tests. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1986 Mar;146(3):477–483. doi: 10.2214/ajr.146.3.477. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bergin C., Müller N., Nichols D. M., Lillington G., Hogg J. C., Mullen B., Grymaloski M. R., Osborne S., Paré P. D. The diagnosis of emphysema. A computed tomographic-pathologic correlation. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1986 Apr;133(4):541–546. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1986.133.4.541. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bégin R., Ostiguy G., Cantin A., Bergeron D. Lung function in silica-exposed workers. A relationship to disease severity assessed by CT scan. Chest. 1988 Sep;94(3):539–545. doi: 10.1378/chest.94.3.539. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bégin R., Ostiguy G., Fillion R., Colman N. Computed tomography scan in the early detection of silicosis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1991 Sep;144(3 Pt 1):697–705. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/144.3_Pt_1.697. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cowie R. L., Mabena S. K. Silicosis, chronic airflow limitation, and chronic bronchitis in South African gold miners. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1991 Jan;143(1):80–84. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/143.1.80. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ferris B. G. Epidemiology Standardization Project (American Thoracic Society). Am Rev Respir Dis. 1978 Dec;118(6 Pt 2):1–120. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Goddard P. R., Nicholson E. M., Laszlo G., Watt I. Computed tomography in pulmonary emphysema. Clin Radiol. 1982 Jul;33(4):379–387. doi: 10.1016/s0009-9260(82)80301-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hnizdo E., Sluis-Cremer G. K., Abramowitz J. A. Emphysema type in relation to silica dust exposure in South African gold miners. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1991 Jun;143(6):1241–1247. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/143.6.1241. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Irwig L. M., Rocks P. Lung function and respiratory symptoms in silicotic and nonsilicotic gold miners. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1978 Mar;117(3):429–435. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1978.117.3.429. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kinsella M., Müller N., Vedal S., Staples C., Abboud R. T., Chan-Yeung M. Emphysema in silicosis. A comparison of smokers with nonsmokers using pulmonary function testing and computed tomography. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Jun;141(6):1497–1500. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/141.6.1497. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Koskinen H. Symptoms and clinical findings in patients with silicosis. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1985 Apr;11(2):101–106. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2247. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mathieson J. R., Mayo J. R., Staples C. A., Müller N. L. Chronic diffuse infiltrative lung disease: comparison of diagnostic accuracy of CT and chest radiography. Radiology. 1989 Apr;171(1):111–116. doi: 10.1148/radiology.171.1.2928513. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Müller N. L., Miller R. R. Computed tomography of chronic diffuse infiltrative lung disease. Part 2. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Dec;142(6 Pt 1):1440–1448. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/142.6_Pt_1.1440. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sanders C., Nath P. H., Bailey W. C. Detection of emphysema with computed tomography. Correlation with pulmonary function tests and chest radiography. Invest Radiol. 1988 Apr;23(4):262–266. doi: 10.1097/00004424-198804000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Ziskind M., Jones R. N., Weill H. Silicosis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1976 May;113(5):643–665. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1976.113.5.643. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES