Respiratory · UKMLA & AKT
Coal worker's pneumoconiosis
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
Key high-yield points
- Caused by prolonged inhalation of coal dust (typically >10-20 years of mining) → upper zone fibrosis
- Progressive exertional dyspnoea - insidious onset over years
- Dry cough - chronic, non-productive in simple CWP
- Simple CWP may be asymptomatic - found incidentally on CXR
- PMF (progressive massive fibrosis) - nodules coalesce into large masses (>1 cm); causes significant breathlessness and cor pulmonale
CWP does NOT cause pleural plaques - these point to asbestosis. CWP does NOT cause eggshell hilar calcification - this points to silicosis.
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