Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis Treatment & Management

  • Author: Amit Dhingra, MD; Chief Editor: Zab Mosenifar, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 10, 2012
 

Medical Care

Treatment for both simple coal worker’s pneumoconiosis and complicated coal worker’s pneumoconiosis is symptomatic. Use oxygen as hypoxemia demands.

No evidence supports the hypothesis that removing the miner from the mining environment arrests the disease once progression to progressive massive fibrosis has begun. Therefore, serially monitoring the chest radiographs of miners in order to prevent the development of complicated coal worker’s pneumoconiosis is prudent. Advise workers who develop evidence of simple coal worker’s pneumoconiosis to transfer to jobs with low dust exposure.

Since smoking has an additive effect on coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, smoking cessation should be strongly recommended.

Caplan syndrome is treated similarly to progressive massive fibrosis. Oxygen and bronchodilators are administered as needed. The rheumatoid component is treated separately, per rheumatological protocol.

All patients should receive immunizations for influenzae and pneumococci.

One should strongly consider the possibility of superimposed mycobacterial infection in any patient with unexplained weight loss, chronic cough, fever, or night sweats.

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Consultations

Consultation with a pulmonary medicine specialist is required.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Amit Dhingra, MD  Fellow in Pulmonary Disease, University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Richard A Obenour, MD  Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine

Richard A Obenour, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC  Professor and Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba; Site Director, Respiratory Medicine, St Boniface General Hospital

Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Thoracic Society, Canadian Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Royal Society of Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and World Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Timothy D Rice, MD  Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, St Louis University School of Medicine

Timothy D Rice, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Zab Mosenifar, MD  Director, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Director, Women's Guild Pulmonary Disease Institute, Professor and Executive Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Zab Mosenifar, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Medical Research, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of Medscape Reference gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Julia Richards van Zyl, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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Gross specimen demonstrating simple coal worker's pneumoconiosis.
Gross specimen demonstrating progressive massive fibrosis in a coal miner.
 
 
 
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