Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35176815›Full record

ArticleRespirology (Carlton, Vic.)2022

Alveolar crystal burden in stone workers with artificial stone silicosis.

Simon H Apte, Maxine E Tan, Viviana P Lutzky, Tharushi A De Silva, Andreas Fiene, Justin Hundloe, David Deller, Clair Sullivan, Peter T Bell, Daniel C Chambers

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Respirology (Carlton, Vic.), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Animal models of silicosis: fishing for new therapeutic targets and treatments.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2023
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Simon H ApteQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.
Maxine E TanQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.
Viviana P LutzkyQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.
Tharushi A De SilvaQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.
Andreas FieneQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.
Justin HundloeWesley Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
David DellerPindara Private Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Clair SullivanFaculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland.
Peter T BellQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.ORCID 0000-0002-0653-0286
Daniel C ChambersQueensland Lung Transplant Service, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.ORCID 0000-0002-9553-5870

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectiveAn epidemic of silicosis has emerged due to a failure to control risks associated with exposure to high-silica content respirable dust generated while working with artificial stone products. Methods for quantification of alveolar crystal burden are needed to advance our understanding of the pathobiology of silica-related lung injury as well as assisting in the diagnosis, clinical management and prognostication of affected workers. The objective of this study was to develop and validate novel methods to quantify alveolar crystal burden in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with artificial stone silicosis.

methodsNew methods to quantify and analyse alveolar crystal in BAL from patients with artificial stone silicosis were developed. Crystals were isolated and counted by microscopy and alveolar crystal burden was calculated using a standard curve generated by titration of respirable α-Quartz. The utility of the assay was then assessed in 23 patients with artificial stone silicosis.

resultsAlveolar crystal burden was greater in patients with silicosis (0.44 picograms [pg]/cell [0.08-3.49]) compared to patients with other respiratory diagnoses (0.057 pg/cell [0.01-0.34]; p < 0.001). Alveolar crystal burden was positively correlated with years of silica exposure (ρ = 0.49, p = 0.02) and with decline in diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (ρ = -0.50, p = 0.02).

conclusionAlveolar crystal burden quantification differentiates patients with silicosis from patients with other respiratory disorders. Furthermore, crystal burden is correlated with the rate of decline in lung function in patients with artificial stone silicosis.

Indexed as

Occupational ExposureSilicosisDustHumansLungSilicon DioxideDustSilicon Dioxidealveolar crystal burdenartificial stone silicosisinorganic dustinterstitial lung diseasemicroscopypneumoconiosis

Identifiers

PMID35176815
PMCPMC9307012

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.