Chronic lung disease and detection of pulmonary artery dilatation in high resolution computerized tomography of chest in chronic arsenic exposure

• Published in: Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering Vol. 49; no. 13; pp. 1453 - 1461
• Main Authors: Bhattacharyya, Parthasarathi, Sen, Parijat, Ghosh, Aloke, Saha, Chandan, Bhattacharya, Pinak pani, Das, Arabinda, Majumdar, Kunal, Mazumder, Debendranath Guha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis 10.11.2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Arsenic; arsenic and bronchiectasis; Arsenic and lung disease; arsenic and pulmonary artery dilatation; Arsenic content; arsenic in hair; Arsenic Poisoning - diagnostic imaging; Arsenic Poisoning - epidemiology; Arsenic Poisoning - physiopathology; arsenicosis in West Bengal; Arteries; Bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Chest; Chronic Disease; computed tomography; confidence interval; cough; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dilatation; disease detection; dose response; dyspnea; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; environmental health; Exposure; Female; groundwater; Groundwater pollution; High resolution; Human exposure; Humans; India; India - epidemiology; Ingestion; Lung diseases; Lung Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Lung Diseases - epidemiology; Lung Diseases - physiopathology; Lungs; Male; Medical sciences; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; patients; people; Prevalence; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; pulmonary artery; Pulmonary Artery - diagnostic imaging; Pulmonary Artery - physiopathology; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Toxicology; Vasodilation; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Young Adult; Asia; West Bengal; India; India, West Bengal; arsenic and pulmonary artery dilatation; Arsenic; Toxicity; arsenicosis in West Bengal; Cardiovascular disease; Epidemiology; Biological material; Dose activity relation; Hair (head); arsenic and bronchiectasis; Health and environment; Dilatation; Bronchus disease; Arsenic and lung disease; Public health; Lung disease; Respiratory disease; Chronic disease; Bronchiectasis; Medical screening; Pulmonary artery; Pulmonary hypertension; Computerized tomography; Trace element; Chronic; arsenic in hair; Water pollution
• ISSN: 1093-4529; 1532-4117; 1532-4117
• DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2014.937157

Lung affection in chronic arsenicosis developing from chronic ingestion of arsenic contaminated groundwater has been known but little is known on its effect on pulmonary arterial system. A cross sectional study was carried out at two geographically similar areas and demographically similar populations with or without evidence of chronic arsenic exposure in West Bengal, India. The willing participants in both the groups with chronic respiratory symptoms were evaluated with High Resolution Computerized Tomography (HRCT) of Chest. Evaluation of High Resolution Computerized Tomography of chest followed clinical assessment of lung disease in194 and 196 subjects from the arsenic exposed and unexposed people; the former had a higher prevalence of cough OR(Odds Ratio) 3.23 (95% CI(Confidence Interval): 1.72-6.07) and shortness of breath OR1.76 (95% CI: 0.84-3.71), respectively. The arsenic exposed individuals showed higher score for bronchiectasis [mean ± SD(Standard Deviation)] as 2.41 ± 2.32 vs. 1.22 ± 1.48 (P <0.001), pulmonary artery branch dilatation (PAD) as 2.48 ± 2.33 vs. 0.78 ± 1.56, (P <0.001) and pulmonary trunk dilatation as 0.26 ± 0.45 vs. nil. Age-adjusted prevalence odds ratio (POR) for Pulmonary Artery Dilatation Found in HRCT comparing those exposed to arsenic (Group 1) to unexposed participants (Group 2) was found to be 6.98 (CI: 2.26-16.48). There was a strong dose-response relationship between the PAD (Pulmonary Artery Dilatation) and cumulative arsenic exposure. Pulmonary trunk and branch dilatation in chronic arsenicosis is a frequent abnormality seen in HRCT Chest of arsenicosis patients. The significance of such finding needs further investigation.