Korean J Occup Environ Med.  2012 Jun;24(2):189-194.

A Case of Sarcoidosis in a Stonemason Exposed to Crystalline Silica

• Cho YS
• Kim KY
• Yoon HG
• Koo JW

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease that can affect any organ, the exact cause of which is uncertain. Currently, investigations of crystalline silica improve the mechanism how it works the course of autoimmune diseases and some hypothesis supports that it also can attribute to sarcoidosis.
CASE REPORT
The patient was a 53-year-old male, who works as a stonemason for 30 years. Sarcoidosis was suspected based on his chest X-ray and CT(Computed tomography). A biopsy was performed and he was indeed diagnosed with sarcoidosis.
CONCLUSION
It is thought that sarcoidosis is more prevalent in the people who work at places with a risk of exposure to crystalline silica. This case suggests that if a patient gets sarcoidosis after being exposed to crystalline silica, or after once being diagnosed with silicosis, his or her sarcoidosis may have occurred due to exposure to crystalline silica.

Keyword

Pneumoconiosis; Silicosis; Sarcoidosis

MeSH Terms

Autoimmune Diseases
Biopsy
Crystallins
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pneumoconiosis
Sarcoidosis
Silicon Dioxide
Silicosis
Thorax
Crystallins
Silicon Dioxide

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