| Abstract [eng] |
Silicosis is a fibrotic lung disease caused by inhalation of respirable crystalline silica, usually in occupational environment. The disorder is especially prevalent in countries of low and middle income, where is still a huge amount of workers in mining, tunnels, construction, rock, glass, ceramics industries. The disease usually develops after 20 years of exposure to silica dust, but with high exposure to silica dust, the disease can occur much earlier. Despite significantly reduced death rates due to silicosis in the past few decades, because of the use of protective measures, such as silica dust control, respirators, new outbreaks still occur ocasionally even in developed countries. Two forms of silicon dioxide exist in nature: amorphous and crystalline, and depending on the cummulative dose of respirable silica dust there are three forms of the disease: chronic, accelerated and acute silicosis. Pathological types of the disease are simple nodular silicosis, progressive massive fibrosis, silicoproteinosis and diffuse interstitial fibrosis. The illness may present with dyspnoea, cough, systemic simptoms, but clinical manifestations vary depending on the form of the disease – changes may be detected accidentally during the annual screening in the absence of any symptoms. Patients with silicosis are at significantly higher risk of developing lung cancer, tuberculosis, as well as autoimmune diseases. There is currently no effective evidence-based treatment for silicosis due to the lack of clinical trials because of the relatively rare occurrence of the disease in the general population, so complete cessation of exposure to silica dust after the diagnosis and prevention are the key tools in disease management. A case of acute silicosis otherwise known as silicoproteinosis is depicted and discussed in this study. The patient experienced symptoms such as dyspnoea, cough, fever after about 2 years of working as a miller in an environment where silica dust is present. The examination of the patient prior to the diagnosis, subsequent monitoring of the condition and lung function is described in chronological order. |
