Chest
Postgraduate Education CornerPulmonary and Critical Care PearlsA 38-Year-Old Welder With Dyspnea and Iron Overload
Section snippets
Physical Examination
His vital signs were as follows: BP, 150/100 mm Hg; heart rate, 78 beats/min; respiratory rate, 14 breaths/min; temperature, 98.3°F; and arterial oxygen saturation, 98% while breathing room air. His physical examination was normal except for Velcro-type crackles in both lung bases.
Laboratory Findings
Laboratory values at presentation showed a hematocrit of 50.4% with a hemoglobin concentration of 16.8 g/dL. Ferritin level was 1,634 ng/mL, and iron level was 169 μg/dL. Transferrin saturation was 62% (normal range, 11 to 46%). The patient had a normal WBC and platelet count. His coagulation studies, liver function test, and kidney function test findings were within normal limits. Blood glucose levels and urinalysis findings were normal as well.
Pulmonary function tests revealed an FEV1/FVC
Radiology Findings
Chest radiography was normal, and a high-resolution CT scan of the chest showed bilateral diffuse centrilobular ground-glass nodular opacities (Fig 3).
What is the diagnosis?
Diagnosis: Welder's siderosis (pneumoconiosis siderotica)
References (0)
Cited by (8)
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2018, International Journal of Integrated EngineeringArc welding of steels and pulmonary fibrosis
2016, Welding in the WorldState of the art: Imaging of occupational lung disease
2014, RadiologySentinel Intensive Reporting: A ship welder with siderosis, a discussion of the medical restrictions
2013, Tijdschrift voor Bedrijfs- en Verzekeringsgeneeskunde
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
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