DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i09.032

Pages: 3391-3394

Silicosis is an age old occupational disease and remains a major global health problem. It is the most prevalent form of pneumoconiosis, is a preventable, but untreatable, environmental pulmonary disease that can be fatal through the impairment of overall health status.The aim was to evaluate the immunological effects of silica by studying prevalence of autoantibodies Antinuclear Antibody (ANA), Anti Ds DNA, Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Anti Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody (Anti CCP) in silica-exposed patients without any known autoimmune disease.The study was done amongst 105 persons engaged in the construction and mining industry exposed to silica attending to tertiary care hospital for respiratory diseases in Western India in two year. Prevalence of ANA, ANTI ds DNA, RF & ANTICCP was studied.In the present study about 64.76% patients were smokers and had history of exposure to silica for more than 10 years. Approx. 70% of the patients had tubercular infection. ANA was positive in 19.04%, Anti ds DNA in 13%, RF in 15% and ANTI CCP in 11% of the patients. Stastistically significant correlation was seen between serum ANA and smoking in silica exposed patients.The present study emphasises that there is increased prevalence of humoral immunologic abnormalities in patients with silicosis. Hence the recognition of autoimmune complications is required in persons exposed to silica.