Complications
People with silicosis are at risk of acquiring:
- TB
- Lung cancer
- Progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
All patients are at about 30-fold increased risk of pulmonary TB or nontubercular mycobacterial disease. Exposure to silica (without developing silicosis) alone can triple the risk.
Other complications include:
- Spontaneous pneumothorax
- Broncholithiasis
- Tracheobronchial obstruction
