Pulmonary talcosis 10 years after brief teenage exposure to cosmetic talcum powder.

Abstract

Pulmonary talcosis is a rare but debilitating variant of pneumoconiosis often presenting with isolated non-specific symptoms of progressive exertional dyspnoea or cough. Occupational exposure to talc dust and intravenous drug abuse are well-recognised aetiological factors with only a few cases related to cosmetic talc exposure being reported to date. The authors report a case of a young woman in whom a mere 4 month ritual of inhaling cosmetic talcum powder led to full-blown pulmonary talcosis being diagnosed 10 years later. The importance of a taking a pertinent history relating to environmental exposures in all patients presenting with respiratory symptoms is re-established here.

• Authors: Amarah Shakoor, Arsalan Rahatullah, Adil Aijaz Shah, Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi
• Journal: BMJ case reports (BMJ Case Rep) Vol. 2011 (Sep 19 2011) ISSN: 1757-790X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22679260 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Cosmetics
• Talc

Topics

• Biopsy
• Bronchoalveolar Lavage
• Bronchoscopy
• Cosmetics (adverse effects)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Humans
• Pneumoconiosis (diagnosis, etiology)
• Smoking (adverse effects)
• Talc (adverse effects)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Young Adult