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Silicatosis
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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Silicosis is a professional respiratory disease caused by inhalation of silicate dust.
Silicates are a type of mineral consisting of a compound of silicon and other chemical components (magnesium, iron, etc.). Most often found in people whose work involves the extraction, production, processing, and use of silicates.
Silicosis results in healthy lung tissue being replaced by fibrous tissue, mainly affecting the lower parts of the lungs, tissues near the bronchi and vessels. The following belong to the category of silicosis:
- asbestosis,
- talcose,
- cementoses,
- silicosis, etc.
The most common form of silicosis is asbestosis. It develops when inhaling asbestos dust. The severity of the pathology is caused not so much by the effect of dust, but by mechanical damage to the lung tissue by asbestos. The lung tissue becomes inflamed and replaced by connective tissue, which negatively affects the respiratory function and leads to a number of severe lung diseases. Asbestosis usually develops over 5-10 years, provided that workers in the shipbuilding, construction, slate production, etc. are constantly exposed to asbestos dust.
Causes of silicosis
Silicosis is a group of occupational diseases that arise from long-term systematic inhalation of silicate dust (with a high content of silicon dioxide). Among occupational diseases of the respiratory system, silicosis is the most common of all other groups of pneumoconiosis.
Workers in mining, porcelain, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and other industries specializing in the production and processing of ceramics, refractory materials, and materials containing silicon dioxide suffer from this disease.
When silicate dust gets into the respiratory tract, normal lung tissue begins to be replaced by connective tissue, and connective nodular compactions appear. Accordingly, lung function begins to be suppressed, and the process of oxygen penetration into the body is disrupted. In addition, the lungs become more vulnerable to other viral and bacterial infections, and the risk of developing tuberculosis, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and emphysema increases.
The mechanism of development of pathology depends not only on the volume and frequency of inhalation of silicate dust, but also on the individual characteristics of the body - physical fitness, immunity.
[ Symptoms of silicatosis
Symptoms of silicosis - with progressive damage to the lung tissue, shortness of breath, dry cough also appear, after physical exertion, chest pain and sputum production are disturbing, in samples of which there is a large number of "asbestos bodies". Silicosis is also accompanied by rhinopharyngitis, laryngitis, pulmonary insufficiency.
In later stages, symptoms manifest as a triad of diseases:
Silicosis also provokes the appearance of fibrous nodes (benign tumors) affecting the pleura, bronchi, and lungs. This is due to the fact that silicate dust, getting into the lungs and settling there, causes inflammation, followed by the replacement of normal lung tissue with dense connective tissue. The most common complication of silicosis is pneumonia, bronchial asthma, bronchitis, and bronchiectasis.
Smoking also aggravates the course of silicosis, increasing the load on the respiratory system. At an early stage, silicosis is reversible and treatable, which is why at enterprises with high dust levels and difficult working conditions, medical examinations with mandatory consultation with a pulmonologist and phthisiatrician are carried out at least twice a year.
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Diagnosis of silicatosis
Diagnosis of silicosis is carried out according to the data of X-ray examination. In case of controversial issues, in parallel with the X-ray of the chest, tomography of the chest organs is carried out. For diagnosis at the first stages of the disease, macroradiography, large-frame fluorography, and other recent methods of X-ray examination are used.
On X-ray images, the key signs of silicosis are connective tissue nodules, which are distinguished by:
- size,
- contours,
- areas of generalization.
In advanced silicosis, the bronchi and roots of the lungs are dilated in the image, the bronchial branch is partially atrophied, the organs in the mediastinum are displaced, the lymph nodes are unevenly calcified. Foci of emphysema are visible in the images even at the initial stage of the disease as transparent spots. The pleura in the images has thickenings, adhesions, and local adhesions of the leaflets in places.
In addition to radiography, diagnosing silicosis is based on the characteristics of working conditions, the degree of dustiness of the workplace, the composition of the dust, as well as on data from earlier medical examinations. Early diagnosis and specific treatment help maintain respiratory function and prevent the development of severe complications.
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Treatment of silicatosis
Treatment of silicosis is mainly carried out by conservative methods. However, it is impossible to completely cure silicosis, it is only possible to slow down the process of fibrous tissue growth in the lungs. The main drug - polyvinylidine-M-oxide - is one of the latest generation of drugs that can slow down the process of fibrous tissue growth in the lungs.
The standard treatment regimen for silicosis is based on:
- Prevention and inhibition of disease progression.
- Treatment of complications.
- Restoration of respiratory function.
- Restoration of metabolism.
To restore respiratory function, bronchodilators are prescribed, as well as drugs that improve expectoration - Chymotrypsin, Chymosin, enzymatic preparations of hyaluronidase (Lidase, Ronidase) to improve tissue permeability and enhance the effect of antibiotic treatment and slow down the growth of fibrous tissue, and oxygen therapy is also prescribed.
In case of complications (bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, emphysema, pneumonia, bronchitis) appropriate treatment in hospital is prescribed. In addition to drug therapy in the non-acute period, treatment in sanatoriums and health resorts at the place of residence and on the southern coast of Crimea is indicated.
Prevention of silicosis
Prevention of silicosis consists of monitoring and compliance with technical and sanitary standards for combating dustiness of the workplace. But in addition to this, all employees must systematically undergo a medical examination both upon admission to work and throughout the year, with mandatory chest X-ray. The main objective of the medical examination is to promptly identify occupational diseases of the respiratory system at an early stage (these are tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, emphysema), for which contact with dust is unacceptable, as well as to identify pneumoconiosis at an early stage.
Preventive measures may also include: shortened working hours, extended vacations and the possibility of additional vacations, meals at the expense of the enterprise, social benefits and financial compensation, annual allocation of vouchers to health resorts, sanatoriums, rest homes and other health trips.
Measures that slow down the progression of pneumoconiosis (in the case of silicosis, transfer to a place of work with gentle working conditions is indicated before the clinical manifestation of the disease) include the employment of patients in enterprises with favorable working conditions that eliminate the burden on the respiratory system.
Prognosis of silicatosis
The prognosis of silicosis depends on the form and stage of the disease, the presence of concomitant complications. The most severe prognosis is for silicosis, berriliosis, asbestosis. If the above types of pneumoconiosis are confirmed, the progressive damage to the lung tissue does not stop even after contact with silicate dust has ceased. These dust compounds can accumulate in the lung tissue, and this often causes disease long after work in dusty conditions has ceased.
Other types of pneumoconiosis (caused by prolonged inhalation of mixed dust) have a milder course without intensive progression. From one stage of the disease to the next, 5-10 years can pass, and during this time the fibrosis process stabilizes, and only respiratory diseases can complicate the course - bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchiectasis, etc.
The mildest form of silicosis is siderosis, baritosis, etc. They are caused by inhalation of radiopaque dust and with these diseases the probability of recovery with complete cleansing of the lungs is very high.
It is impossible to cure pneumoconiosis completely, but with timely diagnosis and supportive therapy it is possible to maintain the respiratory function of the lungs and metabolism, while preventing the development of possible complications.