Erasmus syndrome

A fairly strong and consistent association between exposure, primarily in occupational settings, to solvents (e.g. trichloroethylene) and scleroderma has been reported in numerous epidemiological studies (see chapter 8). Scleroderma-like diseases can also be induced by other chemical compounds, such as drugs (D Cruz, 2000) and silica ( Erasmus syndrome ). Workers exposed to vinyl chloride monomers exhibit clinical features that resemble systemic sclerosis, such as fibrotic skin lesions, pulmonary fibrosis, and skin capillary abnormalities. However, vinyl chloride disease also harbours several features that are clearly distinct from systemic sclerosis. After exposure is discontinued, skin lesions, capillary abnormalities, and acroosteolytic lesions revert to nearly normal (Haustein Ziegler, 1985). 

Coal and gold miners developed SSc more frequently than other workers. A relationship was established between pulmonary disease induced by silica and the development of SSc, and the association between silicosis and SSc is called the Erasmus syndrome. 

Fig. 39. Immunofluorescence of rat Purkinje cells with anti-Yo serum of a patient suffering from a cerebellar syndrome with ovarian carcinoma. Courtesy Dr. Ch. J. Vecht and Dr. J.W.B. Moll, Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam.

Dunnill MG, Black MM (1994) Sclerodermatous syndrome after occupational exposure to herbicides-response to systemic steroids. Clin Exp Dermatol 19 518-520 Ebihara I, Kawami M (1985) Health hazards of mineral dust with special reference to the causation of immuno-pathologic systemic diseases. J Sci Labour 61 1-31 Epstein IH, Tuffanelli DL, Dubois EL (1965) Light sensitivity and lupus erythematosus. Arch Dermatol 91 483-485 Erasmus LD (1957) Scleroderma in gold-miners on the Witwa-tersrand with particular reference to pulmonary manifestations. South Afr Lab Clin Med 3 209-231 Evans DJ, Posner E (1971) Pneumoconiosis in laundry workers. Environ Res 4 127-128... 

Wilczynski SW, Erasmus JJ, Petros WP, et al. Delayed pulmonary toxicity syndrome following high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation for breast cancer. Am J Respir Grit Care Med 1998 157(2) 565-573. 

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