title: Rapidly Fatal Silicosis Among Jewellery Workers Attending a District Medical College of West Bengal, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Silicosis is a slowly progressive chronic occupational lung disease, developed after a prolong period of exposure to high concentration of silica dust.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this longitudinal study, we enrolled old and new silicosis patients (n=19; 8 jewellery polishers, 11 from other occupations) seen at our Pulmonary Medicine Department from June 2009 to December 2012 to document the course of illness as per their occupational exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of the eight jewellery polishing workers had developed silicosis within five years of exposure, while six of the 11 other workers with other occupational exposure had developed silicosis after exposure of 10 years or more. Mean duration of exposure was significantly less among jewellery polishing workers compared to other workers (3.4 +/- 1.7 versus 9.3 +/- 4.1; p=0.001). Mean duration of illness (months) (14.9 +/- 5.8 versus 28.5 +/- 16.5; p=0.040) were significantly less among the jewellery polishing workers compared to other workers. At the end of the study period, all eight jewellery polishing workers with silicosis had died while four of the 11 patients with other occupational exposure had died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Silicosis among jewellery polishing workers was found to be more severe and progressive compared to silicosis due to other occupational exposures, in our study.
authors.forename: Prabodh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panchadhyayee
authors.forename: Kaushik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Rupam Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Ta
authors.forename: Santanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Arnab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Pratik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barma
authors.forename: Mrinmoy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D055498:Jewelry; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012829:Silicosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult