Caplans syndrome historical perspective
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
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Overview
In 1953, the chest x ray findings of multiple pulmonary nodules, in the coal miners with Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) of Welsh, was described by Caplan. In 13 coal miners with RA, along with the small silicotic nodules, well defined, larger lung nodules were found. Caplan identified that miners with pulmonary nodules on chest x ray eventually developed arthritis though they were not diagnosed cases of RA. Though Caplan's initial idea was of infectious etiology, two years later several cases of ' rheumatoid pneumoconiosis' with tuberculosis were reported. But the theory of rheumatoid pneumoconiosis and tuberculous pneumoconiosis got rejected by the time. Caplan's syndrome concept was expanded to cover the exposure to all inorganic dusts from different sources. In 1940 and 1950, rheumatoid nodules were identified by several authors in autopsy studies of different organs as heart and lungs. But relation to silica exposure was not discussed. Years later after Caplan's publication, multiple cases with pulmonary nodules in miners with RA were reported. But 20 cases with lung nodules were reported without any dust exposure.
Historical Perspective
Discovery
- Caplan Syndrome was first discovered by Dr. Anthony Caplan, a British physician, in 1953.[1]
- The association between intrapulmonary nodules and rheumatoid arthritis was made in the radiologic findings of chest x ray in the coal miners.
Landmark Events in the Development of Treatment Strategies
Caplan's syndrome was originally described in coal miners with progressive massive fibrosis.
References
- ↑ Schreiber, J.; Koschel, D.; Kekow, J.; Waldburg, N.; Goette, A.; Merget, R. (2010). "Rheumatoid pneumoconiosis (Caplan's syndrome)". European Journal of Internal Medicine. 21 (3): 168–172. doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2010.02.004. ISSN 0953-6205.