[Lung ductances and the determination of lung diffusion capacity in silicosis]

A study of the behaviour of global and partial lung ductances for CO having for aim to value the lung diffusion function in 97 silicotic workers was undertaken by authors. The workers were divided into three groups according to the Cincinnati classification. The mean values of the global ductance for CO let appear a fall in all the groups when comparison is made with the standard values previously registered in a group of normal subjects. The partial ductances have put in evidence a fall in the mean values below the normal values, only for what concerns the alveolar-capillar ductance for groups 2 and 3. The study of partial ductances in bronchitic and non-bronchitic silicotic subjects lets appear in the first ones a fall in the ventilatory and alveolar-capillar ductances,-- and in the second ones an isolated fall in the alveolar-capillar ductance.