title: Spectrum of alveolitis in quartz-exposed human subjects.
abstract: To characterize silica-induced alveolitis in human subjects, we studied 22 workers in the granite stone cutting industry of Quebec and compared results with those of 22 manual workers without quartz exposure (group 1). All were nonsmokers and were of comparable age. On the basis of chest roentgenogram, seven were without disease (group 2), nine had silicosis without coalescence/conglomeration (group 3), and six had silicosis with coalescence/conglomeration (group 4). The alveolitis in subsets of silica-exposed workers with distinct clinical stages of disease was found to have distinct biologic characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche Pulmonaire, CHUS, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: R O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Bégin
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cantin
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Boileau
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Bisson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D011347:Procollagen / Q000032:analysis; D011791:Quartz / Q000506:poisoning*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000506:poisoning*; D012829:Silicosis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D011347:Procollagen; D011791:Quartz; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D012822:Silicon Dioxide