Long-term complications and prognosis of chronic beryllium disease.
BACKGROUND
Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a rare disease, and there are no previous reports that have followed CBD patients over several decades. Thus, the long-term complications and prognosis of this illness still remain unclear.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate long-term complications and prognosis of CBD patients.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study based on the medical records of all CBD patients diagnosed at Kyoto University Hospital between the period 1973 to the present day. Ultimately, ten patients whose diagnoses had been made during the period 1973 to 1977 were included. Long-term physiological and radiological change, complications and prognosis of these patients were investigated.


RESULTS
Three patients completely remitted, and one died of cor-pulmonale. Among the remaining six patients, four have been followed up for more than thirty years in our institute. The majority developed mixed patterns of lung function impairment, cavity lesions of the lung, pneumothorax, and respiratory infections.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term prognosis of CBD was poor with several complications due to chronic parenchymal and airway lesions.
Handa
T
T
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Nagai
S
S
Kitaichi
M
M
Chin
K
K
Ito
Y
Y
Oga
T
T
Takahashi
K
K
Watanabe
K
K
Mishima
M
M
Izumi
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001607:Berylliosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D012074:Remission Induction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D013256:Steroids