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Occupational lung disease
Artificial stone silicosis: a UK case series
  1. Johanna Feary1,2,
  2. Anand Devaraj1,3,
  3. Matthew Burton4,
  4. Felix Chua5,
  5. Robina K Coker1,6,
  6. Arnab Datta7,
  7. Richard J Hewitt5,
  8. Maria Kokosi5,
  9. Vaslis Kouranos5,
  10. Carl Jonathan Reynolds1,6,
  11. Clare L Ross6,
  12. Veronica Smith8,
  13. Katie Ward1,6,
  14. Melissa Wickremasinghe1,6,
  15. Joanna Szram1,2
  1. 1 National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK
  2. 2 Department of Occupational Lung Disease, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
  3. 3 Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
  4. 4 East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust Ipswich Hospital, Ipswich, Suffolk, UK
  5. 5 Interstitial Lung Disease Unit, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
  6. 6 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
  7. 7 London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow, London, UK
  8. 8 Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Kingston upon Thames, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Johanna Feary; j.feary{at}imperial.ac.uk

Abstract

Silicosis due to artificial stone (AS) has emerged over the last decade as an increasing global issue. We report the first eight UK cases. All were men; median age was 34 years (range 27–56) and median stone dust exposure was 12.5 years (range 4–40) but in 4 cases was 4–8 years. One is deceased; two were referred for lung transplant assessment. All cases were dry cutting and polishing AS worktops with inadequate safety measures. Clinical features of silicosis can closely mimic sarcoidosis. UK cases are likely to increase, with urgent action needed to identify cases and enforce regulations.

  • Occupational Lung Disease
  • Interstitial Fibrosis
  • Sarcoidosis

https://doi.org/10.1136/thorax-2024-221715

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    Footnotes

    • X @RobinaCoker1

    • Correction notice This article has been corrected since it was published Online First. An author's full name was omitted and has now been included.

    • Collaborators Not applicable.

    • Contributors JF was responsible for drafting the first version of the manuscript and is the guarantor for the work. All authors contributed to care of the patients, undertook critical appraisal of earlier versions of the manuscript and approved the final version.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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