[Chronic Beryllium disease after exposure to low-beryllium-content copper].
A 24-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of exertional dyspnea and abnormal shadows on chest X-ray film. He worked in a factory, where he was exposed to 1.8% beryllium-copper alloys. His job was to draw out heated beryllium-copper wire to make it more fine. Chest X-ray film and chest CT scan showed left-sided pneumothorax, diffuse fine reticulonodular shadows, and several cysts. Pulmonary-function tests showed a restrictive disorder and a low diffusing capacity. A specimen obtained by open-lung biopsy showed epithelioid cell granuloma and alveolitis, which were compatible with chronic beryllium disease. The beryllium content of the lung tissue was 0.045 microgram/gram. Beryllium lymphocyte transformation tests on blood and on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were positive. Based on these findings, chronic beryllium disease was diagnosed. After treatment with 1 mg/kg of prednisolone daily, dyspnea disappeared. Then the dose was tapered slowly. In Japan, chronic beryllium disease is extremely rare, and to our knowledge only 22 other cases have been reported.
Department of Internal Medicine, Ohmiya Red Cross Hospital, Saitama, Japan.
N
N
Hasejima
H
H
Kobayashi
S
S
Takezawa
K
K
Yamato
C
C
Kadoyama
Y
Y
Kawano
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001607:Berylliosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D001608:Beryllium / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003300:Copper; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003300:Copper; D011239:Prednisolone; D001608:Beryllium