title: The effects of silica exposure on upper airways and eyes in denim sandblasters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Silicosis due to denim (or jean) sandblasters is newly described cause of silicosis. In such cases lungs are severely affected due to heavy exposure to silica without serious protection. We aimed to investigate whether silica had an effect on the upper airways and eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included the patients recently diagnosed with silicosis. For comparisons, a control group was constituted. Firstly, a questionnaire was performed to obtain demographic and exposure characteristics of the cases. Later, routine nasal examination by endoscope and routine eye examination by slit-lamp microscope were performed to investigate presence of rhinitis and/or adenoid vegetation and eye findings associated with dust exposure, respectively, in both patient and control groups. Punch biopsies of the adenoid tissue were obtained using an endoscopic telescope with the patient under local anesthesia and sent for histopathologic examination. In addition, nasal pH and mucociliary clearance were investigated. Both pH and saccharin nasal transport time (SNTT) measurements were performed by two physicians, who reached a final consensus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group consisted of 83 male silicotics with an average age of 23 +/- 6 years, and the control group consisted of 84 age and gender matched healthy individuals. Their mean exposure time was 40 +/- 26 months. On routine nasal examination, silicotics had higher rates of rhinitis (28.9% versus 16.7%) mostly ipsilaterally (p = 0.01), adenoid vegetation (32.5% versus 13.3%/, p < 0.05), conjunctival hyperaemia (70% versus 45%, p < 0.001), pingueculae (68% versus 23%, p < 0.01), papillar formation (40% versus 28%), and higher nasal pH values (7.9 +/- 0.7 versus 6.9 +/- 0.6, p < 0.001), higher SNTT values (19.9 +/- 2.9 versus 10.9 +/- 1.9, p < 0.001) compared with the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study suggest that upper airways and eyes are considerably affected in the patients with silicosis. Thus, appropriate protection is required to prevent the development of such problems in denim sandblasters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ataturk University Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey. dryoruk_40@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoruk
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ates
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Araz
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aktan
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alper
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sutbeyaz
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altas
authors.forename: Fazli
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ucuncu
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akgun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004724:Endoscopy; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012829:Silicosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013783:Textile Industry; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology