Surveillance for early silicosis in high altitude miners using pulse oximetry.
Donroe, Joseph A;
Maurtua-Neumann, Paola J;
Gilman, Robert H;
Acosta, Ana Teresa;
Cain, Gene;
Parker, John E;
Carhuaricra, Jaime Carlos Alvarez;
Padilla, Juan Jose Retimozo;
Mendoza, Daniel;
Zimic, Mirko;
+1 more...Moore, David AJ;
(2008)
Surveillance for early silicosis in high altitude miners using pulse oximetry.
International journal of occupational and environmental health, 14 (3).
pp. 187-192.
ISSN 1077-3525
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/oeh.2008.14.3.187
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Two cross-sectional studies in a high altitude region of Perú evaluated the role of pulse oximetry for detection of silicosis in high-altitude miners. In study one, exercise pulse oximetry and chest radiographs were used to evaluate 343 silica-exposed miners and 141 unexposed subjects for evidence of silicosis. Study 2 investigated the association between exercise oxygen saturation and silicosis in 32 non-silicotic and 65 silicotic miners. In study one, age (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.10, 95% Cofidence Interval (CI) 1.07-1.12) and resting oxygen saturation (OR 0.95, 95%CI 0.90-0.99) were associated with silicosis. In study two, years of mining employment (OR 1.14, 95%CI 1.05-1.23) and exercise oxygen saturation at 30% maximum heart rate (OR 0.86, 95%CI 0.75-0.99) were associated with silicosis. Hypoxemia at rest and with exercise is associated with silicosis in high altitude miners. Pulse oximetry should be further investigated as a screening tool for silicosis at high altitudes.
