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Review
. 2014 Oct;56 Suppl 10(0 10):S18-22.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000260.

Respiratory diseases caused by coal mine dust

A Scott Laney  1 , David N Weissman
Affiliations
Review

Respiratory diseases caused by coal mine dust

A Scott Laney et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2014 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To provide an update on respiratory diseases caused by coal mine dust.

Methods: This article presents the results of a literature review initially performed for an International Conference on Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease held in summer 2013.

Results: Coal mine dust causes a spectrum of lung diseases collectively termed coal mine dust lung disease (CMDLD). These include Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis, silicosis, mixed dust pneumoconiosis, dust-related diffuse fibrosis (which can be mistaken for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CMDLD continues to be a problem in the United States, particularly in the central Appalachian region. Treatment of CMDLD is symptomatic. Those with end-stage disease are candidates for lung transplantation. Because CMDLD cannot be cured, prevention is critical.

Conclusions: Coal mine dust remains a relevant occupational hazard and miners remain at risk for CMDLD.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest/funding source: The authors are full-time US government employees. No other funding supported this work. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
World coal consumption, 2010–2040. From US Energy Information Administration.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Percentage of examined US underground miners with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (ILO category 1/0+), 1970–2012. Data are shown as 5-year moving average, with separate plots for various tenures in coal mining. Data are from NIOSH CWHSP.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Years of potential life lost (YPLL) before the age of 65 years and mean YPLL per decedent for decedents 25 years or older with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis as the underlying cause of death—United States, 1968–2010. Based on annual underlying cause of death from multiple cause-of-death files, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (updated from figure in Amandus et al).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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