Chest
Volume 86, Issue 5, November 1984, Pages 789-791
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Selected Reports
Cadmium Chemical Pneumonitis

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Metal fume exposures are common to a number of trades and may result in the self-limited acute toxic syndrome of metal fume fever. Acute inhalational cadmium toxicity may mimic metal fume fever on initial presentation, but may have a markedly different clinical course. We report a case of cadmium-induced chemical pneumonitis in a welder who, over four years, has shown persistent pulmonary function abnormalities. The potential for acute cadmium toxicity needs to be considered in any patient suspected of having metal fume fever.

Section snippets

CASE REPORT

A 34-year-old man was referred to the Occupational Medicine Clinic for evaluation of asbestos exposure. His history revealed that he had had minimal asbestos exposure, but that four years earlier he had been silver soldering for about one hour in an enclosed, unventilated small tank with an opening only large enough to admit his upper body. At the time of exposure, he noted only diplopia. Later that evening, he developed dyspnea, cough, myalgias and felt febrile. He did not seek medical

DISCUSSION

While this patient was originally diagnosed as having metal fume fever, his presentation, laboratory findings and course are much more characteristic of chemical pneumonitis from cadmium exposure that resulted from silver soldering in an enclosed space. Metal fume fever is a common occupational illness among welders. It usually results from exposure to zinc oxide fumes, but is also reported following exposure to fumes from copper, aluminum, antimony, iron, manganese, nickel and cadmium.1, 3

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