This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Fireman, E. Articles by Kramer, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fireman, E. Articles by Kramer, M. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Redefining idiopathic interstitial lung disease into occupational lung diseases by analysis of chemical composition of inhaled dust particles in induced sputum and/or lung biopsy specimens

Institute for Pulmonary and Allergic Diseases, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; National Laboratory Service for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Y Lerman

Occupational and Preventive Medicine, Clalit Medical Services, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

M Ben Mahor

Institute for Pulmonary and Allergic Diseases, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; National Laboratory Service for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Occupational and Preventive Medicine, Clalit Medical Services, Tel Aviv, Israel

E Ganor

Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

MR Kramer

Institute of Pulmonary Diseases, Rabin Medical Center, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

There has been increased public awareness of the potential danger from exposure to hazardous dust in various occupations. This study aims to validate the qualitative analysis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of lung samples by 1) correlation of induced sputum (IS) findings to clinical findings, 2) comparing hazardous particles in IS to those in biopsied lung specimens, and 3) assessing whether the particles present in the lungs of transplanted patients correlate with occupational history of dust exposure. Forty patients with occupational history were included; of whom 35 filled in questionnaires. Twenty-four of them had SEM analysis of their IS, and 11 of these 24 also had SEM analysis of their lung tissue. Another 11 lung biopsies from patients with occupational history were scanned by SEM and compared with 10 lung biopsies from patients with no occupational history. SEM analysis of IS was as efficient for detecting hazardous particles as was SEM analysis of lung tissue; silica was detected better in sputum. Exposure to silica was the main chemical element associated with a high likelihood to show abnormalities in IS (Odds ratio 19.41 CI = 0.270–1398.33). The average number of detected hazardous chemical elements in patients with an occupational history of exposure was 4 ± 1.61 in IS and 3.55 ± 2.02 in lung tissue (P = 0.57); it was 1.5 ± 0.85 from transplanted occupationally exposed patients compared with 0.36 ± 0.67 in transplanted non-exposed patients (P = 0.003). SEM analysis of particles in IS and lung tissue can elucidate the causative agent(s) of otherwise idiopathic interstitial lung disease among occupationally exposed workers.

Key Words: lung tissue • scanning electron microscope • sputum

Toxicology and Industrial Health, Vol. 23, No. 10, 607-615 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0748233708090907


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?