Pneumoconioses

A group of chronic lung diseases caused by exposure to a mineral dust or a metal. The major pneumoconioses include asbestosis, silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (black lung disease), and chronic beryllium disease.

Full details about asbestosis are available in a separate topic.

A complete occupational and environmental history is an important part of the diagnostic approach.

Patients may be asymptomatic with an abnormal chest x-ray (incidental finding or result from a screening test), or alternatively have a gradual onset of dyspnoea on exertion, with progression to more severe shortness of breath. Cough and wheezing may be present. Acute silicosis or beryllium pneumonitis, due to particularly heavy exposure to silica or beryllium, rarely occur in developed countries.

Diagnosis is usually made by the typical chest x-ray appearance and history of exposure. The availability of beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test for identification of sensitisation to beryllium is important for early diagnosis and to confirm the diagnosis of chronic beryllium disease.

There is an increased risk of connective-tissue disease, vasculitides, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), active tuberculosis (TB), and chronic renal failure among patients with silicosis, and an increased risk of connective-tissue disease and COPD among patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. The risk of lung cancer is increased among patients with chronic beryllium disease.

Depending on the degree of impairment, patients may benefit from oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation. Oral corticosteroid therapy is used in the treatment of chronic beryllium disease. Patients should be advised regarding legal rights to compensation and should be removed from further occupational exposure.

The risk of lung cancer is increased among patients with beryllium and silica exposure.

The pneumoconioses are a group of interstitial lung diseases, mostly of occupational origin, caused by the inhalation of mineral or metal dusts. This topic will cover 3 of the major diseases in this category: silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (black lung disease), and chronic beryllium disease. Asbestosis, another major type of pneumoconiosis, is covered in a separate topic. There are many other less-common pneumoconioses, including siderosis (associated with iron) and talcosis.