[Selected parameters of the immune system in coal miners with pneumoconiosis]

The study was carried out in a group of 84 men divided in three groups: I--41 miners with simple pneumoconiosis, II--25 miners exposed to coal dust for the same period, and III--28 healthy persons of similar age (control group). All the persons were studied for absolute and proportional values of T and B lymphocytes, also subpopulation of TH helper lymphocytes and TS suppressor lymphocytes, a lymphocyte index (TH/TS) was determined. Besides, the concentration of serous immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM was determined. The author showed a statistically significant decrease in the number of TS suppressor lymphocytes in the group of patients with pneumoconiosis and at the same time an increase in the lymphocyte index in comparison with the other groups. Besides, the author also found a significant decrease in the total amount of T lymphocytes in the same group and at the same time an increase in the concentrations of serous immunoglobulins IgG, IgA. The changes observed in the immunological system in patients with pneumoconiosis may lie at the bottom of the pathogenesis of fibrosis .