[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.
Hasejima
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine, Ohmiya Red Cross Hospital, Saitama, Japan.
Kobayashi
H
H
Takezawa
S
S
Yamato
K
K
Kadoyama
C
C
Kawano
Y
Y
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