A person exposed to silica may develop kidney disease as a complication. Balkan nephropathy may be related to drinking well water high in silica (Goldsmith, 1993).
Clinical features:
(1) deterioration in renal function, potentially progressing to end-stage renal disease
(2) history of exposure to silica
(3) absence of alternative explanations
Risk factors:
(1) The risk tends to increase with the duration and intensity of the silica exposure.
(2) concurrent smoking
Other factors to consider:
(1) exposure to nephrotoxic chemicals
(2) diabetes
Causes of the kidney diseaes may include:
(1) glomerulonephritis
(2) autoimmune disease with vasculitis
(3) interstitial disease
(4) damage to the proximal tubules
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