[Analysis of pulmonary mechanics in patients with silicosis (author's transl)]

Parameters of pulmonary mechanics were measured at rest and during physical effort in patients with silicosis and normal subjects. Between normal subjects and patients with silicosis of stage I a significant difference could not be found. However, a decrease of dynamic compliance and an increase of elastic work of breathing were found in patients with silicosis III during exercise. The PT/VT-quotient is already high at rest. These results are not in agreement with the subjective symptom "dyspnea". The feeling of dyspnea appears when the PT/VT-quotient is enhanced signifcantly during exercise in comparison with the value at rest. Therefore, only the PT/VT-quotient is a suitable parameter indicating dyspnea.