Pathologic Findings in Severe Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis in Contemporary US Coal Miners

CONCLUSIONS.—: Silica-related pathologies are more common in contemporary miners. Severe forms of CWP can be detected by subtyping PMF lesions (if present) or by identification of mature and immature silicotic nodules, coal mine dust-related alveolar proteinosis, and severe inflammation in coal miners' lungs. Silica-type PMF cases showed significantly higher levels of MDAP than either mixed- or coal-type PMF (P < .001). High profusion of birefringent silica/silicate particles was observed more frequently in cases with immature (early stage) silicotic nodules (P = .04). Severe inflammation was also significantly increased in contemporary miners (P = .03). Our findings underscore the urgent need to revise current exposure limits and monitoring of respirable crystalline silica in US coal mines.PMID:37852172 | DOI:10.5858/arpa.2022-0491-OA

Source: Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine - October 18, 2023 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Carlyne D Cool Jill Murray Naseema I Vorajee Cecile S Rose Lauren M Zell-Baran Soma Sanyal Angela D Franko Kirsten S Almberg Cayla Iwaniuk Leonard H T Go Francis H Y Green Robert A Cohen Source Type: research