Quantitative relationship between emphysema and lung minerals in man

The relationship of emphysema to lung coal dust and silica dust content in coal workers exposed to mixed dust remains controversial, in spite of considerable recent research (Oxman et al, 1993). Well designed large studies using post-mortem pathological material have shown that emphysema, especially centriacinar emphysema, is qualitatively related to coal dust content of lungs (Ruckley et al, 1984; 1989) and quantitatively related to pneumoconiosis severity, years at the coal face and indices of obstructive lung disease obtained during life (Leigh et al, 1982; 1983). Recent studies of coalworkers have suggested that emphysema is relatively less likely with high lung silica content (Leigh, 1992). In contrast, emphysema has been found to be related to silica dust exposure in goldminers (Hnizdo et al, 1991).