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Caplan syndrome

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Definition:

Caplan syndrome is inflammation and scarring of the lungs in people with rheumatoid arthritis who have been exposed to coal dust.

Alternative Names:

Rheumatoid pneumoconiosis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Breathing in coal dust causes inflammation and scarring of the lung. Persons with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to develop larger areas of inflammation and scarring in response to coal dust. Caplan syndrome is very rare in the United States.

References:

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000:1619-1721.

• Review Date: 8/10/2005
• Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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