ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preventive effect of rock salt aerosol on the development of silicosis in rats. METHODS: The specific pathogen free adult male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, rock salt control group, silicosis model group and rock salt intervention group, 18 rats in each group. Rats in the silicosis model group and the salt rock intervention group were treated with silica dust at the concentration of 2 000.0 mg/m~3 by dynamic dusting method for 3 hours daily. Rats in the rock salt control group and the rock salt intervention group inhaled the rock salt aerosols with the mass concentration of 20.0 mg/m~3 for 30 minutes daily. The normal control group was not treated with the dust or rock salt aerosol. At the time points of 14, 28 and 56 days after exposure to dust or rock salt aerosol, 6 rats were randomly selected from each group and samples were collected. The pathological change of lung was observed, the total cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) was performed, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the change of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) in BALF, surfactant D(SP-D) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) in lung tissue. RESULTS: The results of hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining showed that the inflammatory changes of lung tissue and the pulmonary interstitial fibrosis in the rock salt intervention group were less severer than that in the silicosis model group. At 14, 28, and 56 days after dust exposure, the total cell counts in BALF and SP-D levels in lung tissue of rats in silicosis model group and rock salt intervention group were higher(P<0.05), the SOD activities in lung tissue were lower(P<0.05), as well as the TGF-β levels in BALF in silicosis model group were higher(P<0.05),compared with the normal control group and rock salt control group. The total cell counts and TGF-β levels in BALF, and SP-D levels in lung tissue of rock salt intervention group were lower(P<0.05), the SOD activities in lung tissue were higher(P<0.05), compared with the silicosis model group. CONCLUSION: Rock salt aerosol intervention may delay the pathogenesis of silicosis by improving the inflammatory response, regulating oxidative stress and reducing interstitial fibrosis of lungs.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the clinical effect and safety of rock salt aerosol therapy in the treatment of occupational allergic contact dermatitis.@*Methods@#A total of 65 patients with acute exacerbation of occupational allergic contact dermatitis who were treated in the Outpatient Service and Inpatient Department of our hospital from March 2013 to December 2015 were enrolled and randomly divided into observation group and control group using a random number table. Both groups were givensymptomatic treatment including desensitization, and the patients in the observation group were given rock salt aerosol therapy for 2 courses in addition to the symptomatic treatment. The changes in symptoms, signs, blood eosinophil count, and IgE were observed.@*Results@#There were significant changes in symptom score at the first and second courses of the treatment (P<0.05) , and there was an interaction between time of therapy and grouping (P<0.05) . There was no significant difference in symptom score before treatment between the two groups (P>0.05) , while there were differences at the first and second courses of the treatment (P<0.05) . After the second course of treatment, the observation group had a significantly higher overall response rate than the control group (P<0.05) ; both groups had significant reductions in blood eosinophil count and the observation group had a significantly greater reduction than the control group (P<0.05) . After two courses of treatment, both groups had significant increases in the number of patients with normal IgE (both P<0.05) , and after the second course of treatment, the observation group had a significantly higher number than the control group (P<0.05) . Both groups had mild adverse events, which did not affect the treatment.@*Conclusion@#In the treatment of occupational allergic contact dermatitis, rock salt aerosol therapy has a certain effect on the recovery of symptoms, signs, blood eosinophil count, and IgE.