A stone miner with both silicosis and constrictive pericarditis: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

BackgroundThe working environment of stone miners has been believed to cause their susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Silicosis is an occupational disease caused by exposure to crystalline silica dust which is marked by inflammation and scarring in the lung. The immune system boosted after the silica invasion led to self-damage and lay the foundation of silicosis pathogenesis. Silicosis coexisting with other diseases in one patient has been reported, however, was not reported to coexist with constrictive pericarditis. We, for the first time, reported a patient with silicosis and constrictive pericarditis and thought the immune response was probably the link between the two.Case presentationA 59-year-old Chinese stone miner complained of chest distress was found to have lung nodules which were found to be silica deposits by biopsy. This patient was also found to have constrictive pericarditis at the same time. Later surgical decortication cured his symptoms.ConclusionWe provided the first case having constrictive pericarditis concomitant with silicosis. A probable link between the two diseases was the immune response boosted by the silica deposits.

A Rare Case of Pericardial Effusion in a Patient with Silicosis

“…There are a few reports on silica involved in pericardial degeneration [2, 6]. Jiang and Shao reported a male stone miner patient having both silicosis and constrictive pericarditis [2].…”

“…Silicosis is an irreversible and incurable lung disease caused by inhalation of dust containing crystalline silica particles [1] and is one of the most important occupational diseases in the world [1, 2]. Occupations such as mining, stone work, and sandblasting are associated with an increased risk of silicosis in individuals [2]. Silicosis is a form of pneumoconiosis and can be associated with lung cancer and disorders of other organs [3].…”

Potential of PEGylated Toll-Like Receptor 7 Ligands for Controlling Inflammation and Functional Changes in Mouse Models of Asthma and Silicosis

“…Steroidal anti-inflammatory agent combined to bronchodilators is the best way of controlling asthma currently, but glucocorticoid resistance and adverse effects limit the efficacy of this treatment ( 2 ). The situation is even more alarming in case of silicosis, since no proper therapy is available ( 9 ).…”

“…In asthma, inflammation is driven by the adaptive arm of host immunity and reflects an aberrant immune response specifically against otherwise harmless environmental factors in genetically predisposed individuals ( 2 ). Yet, the basis of the inflammatory response mounted following exposure to occupational air ­pollutants, such as crystalline silica particles, remains poorly understood ( 9 ). What is well established for both diseases, however, is the crucial role displayed by the airway wall as an immune-privileged innate barrier in which interdigitated dendritic cells (DCs), with the help of macrophages and epithelial cells, sense and respond to antigens, pollutant particles, and infectious microorganisms that traffic into the lung ( 10 , 11 ).…”

EPOC en trabajadores con factores de riesgo ocupacional atendidos en una IPS de Yumbo, Colombia

“…3,4 La importancia de esta afección redunda no solo en el compromiso pulmonar, sino también de otros componentes de la economía orgánica, como el sistema muscular y cardiovascular, lo que compromete aún más la calidad de vida y el pronóstico de quien la padece. 5,6 De otra parte, la OMS, planteó que en el 2012 se presentaron 3 millones de muertes por EPOC, lo cual representó el 6% de la mortalidad en el planeta en aquel momento, y que más del 90% de dichos eventos acaecieron en países con bajos y medianos ingresos. 1 La GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) ha establecido estrategias diagnósticas y terapéuticas para el diagnóstico y manejo de dicha patología.…”