Silicosis Appears Inevitable Among Former Denim Sandblasters

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Chest
• Personal Author:
  Akgun, Metin ; Araz, Omer ; Ucar, Elif Yilmazel ; Karaman, Adem ; Alper, Fatih ; Gorguner, Metin ; Kreiss, Kathleen
• Description:
  BACKGROUND
  
  The course of denim sandblasting silicosis is unknown. We aimed to reevaluate former sandblasters studied in 2007 for incident silicosis, radiographic progression, pulmonary function loss, and mortality and to examine any associations between these outcomes and previously demonstrated risk factors for silicosis.
  
  METHODS
  
  We defined silicosis on chest radiograph as category 1/0 small opacity profusion using the International Labor Organization classification. We defined radiographic progression as a profusion increase of two or more subcategories, development of a new large opacity, or an increase in large opacity category. We defined pulmonary function loss as a ≥ 12% decrease in FVC.
  
  RESULTS
  
  Among the 145 former sandblasters studied in 2007, 83 were reassessed in 2011. In the 4-year follow-up period, nine (6.2%) had died at a mean age of 24 years. Of the 74 living sandblasters available for reexamination, the prevalence of silicosis increased from 55.4% to 95.9%. Radiographic progression, observed in 82%, was associated with younger age, never smoking, foreman work, and sleeping at the workplace. Pulmonary function loss, seen in 66%, was positively associated with never smoking and higher initial FVC % predicted. Death was associated with never smoking, foreman work, number of different denim-sandblasting places of work, sleeping at the workplace, and lower pulmonary function, of which only the number of different places worked remained in multivariate analyses.
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  
  This 4-year follow-up suggests that almost all former denim sandblasters may develop silicosis, despite short exposures and latency.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Article Disease Progression Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Incidence Male Occupational Exposure Prevalence Radiography Respiratory Function Tests Risk Factors Silicosis Textile Industry Turkey

  More +
• Source:
  Chest. 148(3):647-654.
• Pubmed ID:
  25654743
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4556121
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  148
• Issue:
  3
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:f13b743ac51f8473d367ff884ca7d5e501daae7ec611a41b043f40c350775fa0
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/34505/cdc_34505_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.53 MB ]