Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2025
05:03
Establishing a Silicosis Rat Model via Exposure of Whole-Body to Respirable Silica
Published on: October 28, 2022
1.4K
Rheumatoid Arthritis in Silica-Exposed Workers
Young-Sun Min1, Min-Gi Kim2, Yeon-Soon Ahn3
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan-si 31151, Korea.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|December 10, 2021
Summary
Silica exposure increases rheumatoid arthritis (RA) hospitalization risk in Korean workers. Even without pneumoconiosis, silica-exposed individuals show higher RA rates, suggesting silica exacerbates RA severity.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Rheumatology
- Environmental Medicine
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk and severity in silica-exposed populations are understudied.
- Silica exposure is a known occupational hazard with potential systemic effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare RA hospitalization risk between silica-exposed Korean workers and the general population.
- To investigate the association between silica exposure duration and RA risk.
- To explore if silica exposure influences RA severity.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 149,948 male silica-exposed workers was identified (2000-2004).
- RA hospitalization data (2000-2005) were obtained from national health insurance claims.
- Standardized Admission Ratios (SAR) were calculated comparing silica-exposed workers to the general population.
Main Results:
- The overall RA standardized admission ratio (SAR) for silica-exposed workers was 1.34 (95% CI 1.08-1.64).
- Workers with less than 10 years of silica exposure showed a significantly higher SAR for seropositive RA (M05) at 2.54 (95% CI 1.10-5.01).
- Silica-exposed workers without pneumoconiosis diagnosis had higher RA hospitalization rates than the general population.
Conclusions:
- Silica exposure is linked to an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis hospitalization.
- Silica exposure may increase the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Further research with longer follow-up is warranted for silica-exposed workers.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
82
Rheumatic heart disease or RHD is a chronic condition that results from rheumatic fever, causing permanent damage to the heart valves.Etiology and Risk FactorsIt primarily arises from rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that can develop after untreated or inadequately treated group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Streptococcus spreads through direct contact with oral or respiratory secretions. While the bacteria are the causative agents, factors like malnutrition, overcrowding, poor...
82
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
14.7K
Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
14.7K
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
5.5K
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
5.5K
01:20The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
9.5K
Several cytokine receptors have tightly bound Janus kinase or JAK proteins attached at their cytosolic tail. Small signaling molecules such as cytokines, growth hormones, or prolactins bind to the cytokine receptors and initiate their dimerization. The dimerization brings the cytosolic JAKs together that trans-phosphorylate and activates each other. The activated JAKs now phosphorylate cytosolic tails of the cytokine receptors, which serve as binding sites for adaptor proteins such as SH2...
9.5K
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
112
The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
112
01:20Rheumatic Heart Disease IV: Nursing Management
63
AssessmentA comprehensive assessment is essential in managing a patient with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Begin with obtaining a detailed medical history, including recent streptococcal infections, a history of rheumatic fever, or previously diagnosed rheumatic heart disease. Assess the patient for symptoms such as fever, chest pain, widespread joint pain (arthralgia), tachycardia, pericardial friction rub, muffled heart sounds, heart murmurs, peripheral edema, subcutaneous nodules, and...
63