[Lung disease after long-term inhalation of organic dusts in employees of a drug firm (author's transl)].
Nine patients, as employees of a drug firm exposed to pancreatin and other organic substances in dust form for long periods of time, complained of non-specific breathing disorders and exercise dyspnoea. Investigation revealed predominantly restrictive-obstructive disorders of ventilation with diffuse emphysema and evidence of abnormal oxygen diffusion. In two patients the chest X-ray revealed signs of acute alveolitis, in a third a marked pulmonary fibrosis after exposure for several years. Six of seven patients reacted positively to a prick test with pancreatin. Precipitating antibodies were demonstrated in only one patient. Immunopathological and chemical-toxic effects of pancreatin dust may be causes of the described pulmonary disease.
D000328:Adult; D004345:Drug Industry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010194:Pancreatin / Q000276:immunology; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
D010194:Pancreatin
Lungenerkrankungen nach langzeitiger Inhalation organischer Stäube bei Beschäftigten einer Arzneimittelfirma.