Rapidly Fatal Silicosis Among Jewellery Workers Attending a District Medical College of West Bengal, India.
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Date
2015-07
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Abstract
Background. Silicosis is a slowly progressive chronic occupational lung disease, developed after a prolong period of exposure
to high concentration of silica dust.
Methods. In this longitudinal study, we enrolled old and new silicosis patients (n=19; 8 jewellery polishers, 11 from other
occupations) seen at our Pulmonary Medicine Department from June 2009 to December 2012 to document the course of
illness as per their occupational exposure.
Results. Six of the eight jewellery polishing workers had developed silicosis within five years of exposure, while six of
the 11 other workers with other occupational exposure had developed silicosis after exposure of 10 years or more. Mean
duration of exposure was significantly less among jewellery polishing workers compared to other workers (3.4±1.7 versus
9.3±4.1; p=0.001). Mean duration of illness (months) (14.9±5.8 versus 28.5±16.5; p=0.040) were significantly less among the
jewellery polishing workers compared to other workers. At the end of the study period, all eight jewellery polishing
workers with silicosis had died while four of the 11 patients with other occupational exposure had died.
Conclusion. Silicosis among jewellery polishing workers was found to be more severe and progressive compared to silicosis
due to other occupational exposures, in our study.
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Keywords
Fatal, Silicosis, Jewellery workers, Survival, Spirometry
Citation
Panchadhyayee Prabodh, Saha Kaushik, Saha Indranil, Ta Rupam Kumar, Ghosh Santanu, Saha Arnab, Barma Pratik, Mitra Mrinmoy. Rapidly Fatal Silicosis Among Jewellery Workers Attending a District Medical College of West Bengal, India. The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences, 2015 July; 57(3): 165-171.