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Pneumoconiosis

OVERVIEW

What is pneumoconiosis?

Pneumoconiosis, commonly known as "dust lung disease," is a type of pulmonary disease caused by the inhalation and retention of dust in the lungs. It is a systemic disease primarily characterized by diffuse pulmonary fibrosis (scarring) due to long-term inhalation of industrial dust during occupational activities.

Is pneumoconiosis an occupational disease?

Since the development of pneumoconiosis is clearly linked to dust exposure in the workplace, it is the most widespread occupational disease in China. It not only harms workers' health and quality of life but also affects social harmony and stability.

To protect workers' rights, China introduced the "X-ray Classification and Diagnostic Criteria for Silicosis" as early as 1963, which has been revised five times since.

Which occupations are commonly associated with pneumoconiosis?

Pneumoconiosis is caused by occupational exposure to industrial dust, and its occurrence is directly dependent on the level of dust exposure—meaning a certain cumulative dose is required to develop the disease.

Pneumoconiosis is often linked to the following occupations: mining; sand mixing, molding, and casting cleaning in foundries; metal cutting, grinding, and polishing; metallurgy; construction materials, refractory materials, glass manufacturing, cement production, quarrying, ceramics, and enamel industries; tunnel excavation and road construction in large-scale infrastructure projects; and processing and packaging of solid raw materials (e.g., synthetic products, dyes) in the chemical industry.

SYMPTOMS

What are the symptoms of pneumoconiosis?

The main symptoms of pneumoconiosis include throat discomfort, chest tightness, chest pain, coughing, phlegm production, chest obstruction and shortness of breath, susceptibility to colds, decreased respiratory function, emphysema, difficulty breathing, and asthma. Additionally, the condition worsens every few years, leading to complications such as infections, cor pulmonale, respiratory failure, and death.

However, the early clinical manifestations of pneumoconiosis are not obvious. Once symptoms appear, they often indicate severe disease progression that has exceeded the lungs' compensatory capacity. Therefore, workers in high-risk industries should undergo regular check-ups to detect the disease as early as possible and receive timely intervention.

What are the consequences of pneumoconiosis?

Pneumoconiosis is one of the most harmful and common occupational diseases. Its primary harm is the impairment of respiratory function, reducing airway ventilation and alveolar diffusion capacity, ultimately leading to respiratory failure and death. The main consequences include:

CAUSES

How does pneumoconiosis occur?

Long-term inhalation of dust-laden air leads to dust deposition in the airways and alveoli, repeatedly irritating the airway mucosa, causing edema, inflammatory exudation, and cytokine accumulation. This damages the membrane structure of airway and alveolar cells, with repeated scar hyperplasia eventually resulting in diffuse pulmonary fibrosis and impaired respiratory function.

The severity of pneumoconiosis is related to the amount of dust accumulated in the lungs, which primarily depends on dust concentration, dispersion, exposure duration, and protective measures. Higher dust concentration, greater dispersion, longer exposure time, and poor protective measures lead to more dust inhalation and accumulation in the lungs, shortening the onset time of pneumoconiosis and worsening the condition.

What are the types of pneumoconiosis?

Depending on the occupation, inhaled air contains different types of dust. China's statutory occupational diseases include thirteen types of pneumoconiosis: silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, graphite pneumoconiosis, carbon black pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, talc pneumoconiosis, cement pneumoconiosis, mica pneumoconiosis, pottery workers' pneumoconiosis, aluminum pneumoconiosis, welders' pneumoconiosis, foundry workers' pneumoconiosis, and other pneumoconioses (diagnosable according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Pneumoconiosis and Pathological Diagnostic Criteria for Pneumoconiosis).

DIAGNOSIS

What tests are needed to confirm suspected pneumoconiosis?

Posteroanterior chest X-rays are the primary diagnostic basis for pneumoconiosis and can also be used for staging the disease.

What are the diagnostic criteria for pneumoconiosis?

A history of exposure to productive mineral dust is a fundamental requirement for diagnosing pneumoconiosis, including workplace, job type, duration of exposure to productive dust at different periods, and the type of dust involved.

If employers fail to provide workplace dust monitoring results, occupational health surveillance records, or provide incomplete data despite supervision by workplace safety regulators, the diagnosis should be based on clinical manifestations.

Auxiliary test results, the worker's occupational history, dust exposure history, and daily supervision records from workplace safety authorities should also be referenced. Posteroanterior chest X-ray findings are the primary diagnostic basis.

Although pneumoconiosis patients may exhibit varying respiratory symptoms, clinical signs, and abnormal lab results, these are nonspecific and serve only as supplementary references.

Clinical and laboratory examinations primarily focus on differential diagnosis to exclude other lung diseases with X-ray presentations resembling pneumoconiosis.

Which diseases are easily confused with pneumoconiosis?

Differential diagnosis mainly involves excluding other diseases with similar X-ray findings:

However, pneumoconiosis patients in mid-to-late stages may concurrently develop these conditions, making early diagnosis crucial.

How is pneumoconiosis staged?

The 2015 Occupational Pneumoconiosis Diagnostic Criteria classify the disease into three stages based on chest X-ray findings:

How is pneumoconiosis assessed as an occupational disease?

Pneumoconiosis is a statutory occupational disease in China and the most prevalent and severe occupational illness. After suspected cases are identified during occupational health examinations, workers may apply for diagnosis at authorized institutions. Confirmed cases qualify for occupational disease benefits through work injury claims.

Diagnosis and assessment must be conducted by accredited institutions, which independently exercise diagnostic authority and assume responsibility for conclusions.

Qualified institutions typically include occupational disease prevention centers, CDC branches, health bureaus, and hospitals. Workers unsure about institutional qualifications (some only diagnose specific occupational diseases) may consult health commissions or occupational disease prevention centers.

Workers may choose diagnostic institutions at either their employer's location or their residence.

Per the Occupational Disease Diagnosis and Assessment Management Measures, applicants must provide:

Employers must truthfully provide necessary documents. Suspected cases should submit ID copies, health examination reports, and employment proof (e.g., labor contracts). Additional materials will be requested from employers after case acceptance. Applications without exposure history or abnormal findings will be rejected.

TREATMENT

Which department should I visit for pneumoconiosis?

When experiencing respiratory symptoms such as coughing, phlegm production, or difficulty breathing, the first choice should be the respiratory medicine department. If pneumoconiosis is suspected, seek diagnosis at a qualified occupational disease diagnostic institution to facilitate subsequent treatment.

Can pneumoconiosis be cured?

Difficult to cure.

As a severe occupational disease, pneumoconiosis is characterized by being incurable once contracted. Treatment focuses on symptom control, slowing disease progression, preventing complications, and improving quality of life. With proper treatment, patients can generally achieve a normal lifespan.

What are the treatment options for pneumoconiosis?

DIET & LIFESTYLE

What should pneumoconiosis patients pay attention to in daily life?

When should pneumoconiosis patients seek immediate medical attention?

Diagnosed patients should visit a hospital immediately if experiencing recurrent cough with purulent sputum, sudden chest pain, hemoptysis, progressive dyspnea, or inability to lie flat.

PREVENTION

Can Pneumoconiosis Be Prevented? How to Prevent It?

As an extremely hazardous occupational disease, pneumoconiosis can be effectively prevented through targeted measures to reduce its incidence: