Pneumoconioses are occupational chronic lung diseases that arise due to the systematic ingress of industrial dust into the respiratory tract. This designation of a whole group of diseases with common signs and causes.
General information
Against the background of the regular penetration of toxic substances into the lungs, so-called diffuse fibrosis is formed - a growth of connective tissue on the organ. The disease is usually accompanied by:
- dry cough;
- pain in the chest;
- gradually increasing shortness of breath;
- deforming bronchitis;
- respiratory failure.
Features
During the diagnosis of pathology, the type of employment of the patient, the level of negative impact and physiological information are determined primarily. As an auxiliary, such studies as radiography, spirometry, and blood analysis are used.
Among occupational diseases, pneumoconioses are the most common. They are often diagnosed by workers in engineering, coal, asbestos, glass production, in which harmful industrial dust affects the human respiratory system for 5 years or longer.
Classification of pneumoconiosis
The conditions affecting the formation of the disease include: chemical composition, prolonged stay in areas of high concentration of toxic substances and increased levels of synthetic, mineral and organic structures entering the lungs. Depending on the quality of the negative products, there are several types of pneumoconiosis:
- Silicosis. Disease caused by increased concentration of silicon dioxide in the lungs and respiratory tract.
- Silicates. They are born against the background of organ filling with silicic acid and silicate metals.
- Metalloconioses. Caused by a buildup of metal dust.
- Carboconiosis. The pathogens are carbon-containing substances.
- Complex pneumoconioses. These are pathologies formed against the background of the accumulation of various heterogeneous catalysts.
- Organic pneumoconioses. Appear due to prolonged inhalation of crushed natural substances, for example, particles of wood, wool, flax or rye.
Pathogenesis
The depth of penetration of harmful dust into the respiratory system and the intensity of its removal from the body is determined by the size of the foreign particles. The most difficult substances to remove are aerosol structures. Due to deep penetration, they accumulate on the walls of the alveoli, bronchioles, respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Partially, such dust is removed through the lymphatic channels and at the time of exhalation. Larger substances remain in the bronchi and, after some time, come out when sneezing or expectoration.
The mechanism of the development of the disease
An excess of dust in the working environment, poor protection of the breathing apparatus lead to the ingress and accumulation of harmful substances in the alveoli. Particles collected in this way can penetrate into the porous tissues of the lungs or be absorbed by macrophages. After this, cytotoxication often appears, which provokes lipid oxidation.
In this process, lysochondrial and lysosomal enzymes are released, which cause active multiplication of fibroblastous cells and the formation of collagen in the lung region. In addition, the efficiency of immunopathological mechanisms increases.
The cause of pneumoconiosis is pulmonary fibrosis, which is expressed as nodules that block large areas of organ tissue. This disease manifests itself in the form of sclerotic clusters, consisting of macrophages with a high content of dust and particles of connective tissue. With their insignificant number or complete absence, interstitial pneumoconiosis is diagnosed - this is a disease that is accompanied by a thickening of the alveolar septum, as well as perivascular and peribronchial fibrosis. Due to the connection of small nodules, they turn into large clots that fill the lung tissue.
Effects
The pathological process is also accompanied by emphysema, which in some cases develops into an incurable form. Along with the transformations of the lung tissue, pneumoconioses are combined with diseases of the mucous membranes, which resemble bronchiolitis or endobronchitis in their manifestations.
As a result of these successive phenomena, large sections of the lung cease to fulfill their functions in the general process of respiration. In most cases of the disease using radiography, the pathology is detected exclusively at the active stage of pneumoconiosis and its rapid progression.
Leakage features
Symptoms of pneumoconiosis of the lungs depend, first of all, on the form of its development. The course of the disease can be slow, regressive, progressive and aggravated. Gradually occurring pathology can manifest itself only after 10 years, subject to constant contact with industrial dust. A rapidly progressing disease can begin after 3-4 years of regular inhalation of harmful substances, acquiring a severe form over the next 2 years.
If breathing difficulties appear several years after the restriction of stay in a negative environment, then this may indicate the development of late occupational pneumoconiosis.
The regressive stage of the disease is explained by the temporary removal of harmful particles from the respiratory apparatus, due to which radiography shows an improvement in the general condition of the lungs and a decrease in their deformations.
Symptoms
However, all forms of occupational pneumoconiosis have some common symptoms. In the initial stages, there are:
- dyspnea;
- cough with slight sputum;
- stitching or cutting pain in the chest, extending to the area of the shoulder blades.
At first, pain rarely occurs, but gradually they become more pressing and strong.
At the following stages of pneumoconiosis appear:
- sweating and general weakness;
- increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees;
- sudden weight loss;
- blue lips;
- painful shortness of breath even at rest;
- deformation of the final phalanges on the fingers and nails.
If the disease was not detected on time, other signs appear: pronounced respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension and a pathological increase in the right heart walls.
Pneumoconiosis is a disease that often manifests itself as complicated tracheitis or bronchitis. Pathology can be accompanied by a variety of diseases:
- scleroderma;
- spontaneous pneumothorax;
- Chronical bronchitis;
- bronchiectasis.
Silicosis often provokes the development of tuberculosis, which actively progresses and is complicated by erosion of vascular organs, pulmonary hemorrhage and bronchial fistula.
Diagnostics
The detection of the disease in the early stages of development is very complicated by the similarity of clinical symptoms with signs of many other diseases. Making an accurate diagnosis largely depends on the questioning of the patient - he must describe in detail the nature of his employment and the type of dust inhaled during work. This information will help the specialist immediately select the correct vector for further research and, as a rule, even prescribe treatment.
If pneumoconiosis is suspected, a detailed examination is recommended for the patient. It can be based on one of the methods:
In addition, specialists also check lung capacity, blood circulation and the stage of tissue modification.
The second stage of determining the disease
Then, the quality of breathing is determined using several diagnostic methods:
- Spirometry. Allows you to measure the volume of inhaled oxygen, the rate of its intake and removal from the body.
- Plethysmography. Helps determine the features of external respiration.
- Pneumotachography. Allows you to measure arterial rhythm and breathing at rest and after several exercises.
- Gas analysis. It makes it possible to measure the volume of air remaining after a full exhalation.
At the same time, all sorts of tests are being collected to identify foreign impurities in expectorant secretions. In case of any hitch or problems during diagnosis using standard methods, the patient can be sent for a biopsy.
Treatment of pneumoconiosis
Therapy for this disease consists of a whole range of mandatory measures. First of all, the patient must completely abandon being in a harmful environment contaminated with harmful dust. A good effect in this case brings visits to health resorts, dispensaries and camps. True, this only helps to eliminate the unpleasant clinical manifestations of pneumoconiosis.
Improving the protective properties of the immune system also contributes to recovery:
- eating healthy foods;
- moving lifestyle with everyday physical education;
- adherence to an accurate daily routine.
To normalize breathing, there are special exercises. You can learn about methods for their implementation from your doctor or from specialized sources.
Smokers should give up a bad habit. All patients should avoid places filled with smoke, exhaust, or other harmful clusters.
In the treatment of pneumoconiosis in stationary conditions are used:
- various physiotherapeutic procedures - warming up, ultrasound;
- herbal medicine - inhalation with the use of beneficial solutions;
- ultraviolet radiation courses.
Drug therapy
In the treatment of pneumoconiosis, expectorant and cough-lowering drugs are also used, and complications in the work of the heart are suppressed with the help of bronchodilators. To get rid of annoying attacks used: "Herbion", "Bromhexine", "Doctor Mom". To speed up expectoration, herbal medicines are used: for example, coltsfoot, violet, marshmallow, solutions with essential oils and other drugs that have secretory or mucolytic properties.
In the event of serious complications, the patient is prescribed individual treatment. It provides anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative therapy.
With exacerbations of heart failure, in addition to bronchodilators, the specialist recommends:
- anticoagulants;
- cardiac glycosides;
- diuretics.
In this case, the patient is placed in a hospital under constant monitoring, which allows you to constantly monitor changes in his health.
Forecasts and Prevention
Ways to prevent the disease depend primarily on conditions that contribute to the likely occurrence of a certain form of pathology. For example, with factors concomitant with the development of silicosis, asbestosis or berylliosis, timely restriction from the catalysts of the disease is necessary, since it can appear even several years after the termination of stay in a harmful environment.
Other preventative measures include:
- improvement of working conditions;
- compliance with safety rules;
- use of personal protective equipment;
- ventilation of rooms and workshops;
- application of modern, cleaner production technologies.
Both employees and management must monitor the correct use of all kinds of protective equipment. This is the prevention of pneumoconiosis.
People who, even if all the recommended norms are followed, still remain exposed to chemicals, must undergo systematic medical examinations in accordance with the law.
At the time of employment, a person suffering from congenital or acquired physiological pathologies, for example, asthma, cardiac abnormalities, a deformed nasal septum, chronic pulmonary or bronchial malformations, should give preference to jobs in which the concentration of industrial dust does not exceed the permissible norm.
To prevent the disease, all industrial workers at least once a year should be sent to large-frame fluorographic examinations, which are deservedly considered the most accessible and informative way to detect all kinds of diseases in the early stages of development.