Pulmonary talcosis 10 years after brief teenage exposure to cosmetic talcum powder.
Pulmonary talcosis is a rare but debilitating variant of pneumoconiosis often presenting with isolated non-specific symptoms of progressive exertional dyspnoea or cough. Occupational exposure to talc dust and intravenous drug abuse are well-recognised aetiological factors with only a few cases related to cosmetic talc exposure being reported to date. The authors report a case of a young woman in whom a mere 4 month ritual of inhaling cosmetic talcum powder led to full-blown pulmonary talcosis being diagnosed 10 years later. The importance of a taking a pertinent history relating to environmental exposures in all patients presenting with respiratory symptoms is re-established here.
Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Amarah
A
Shakoor
Arsalan
A
Rahatullah
Adil Aijaz
AA
Shah
Ali Bin Sarwar
AB
Zubairi
D001706:Biopsy; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013627:Talc / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
D003358:Cosmetics; D013627:Talc