[Behavior of urinary hydroxyproline and the effect of cigarette smoking in silicosis]

This study was conducted through regular pneumonoconiosis examination according to the law on 1,096 employees of medium and small-sized ceramic enterprises in Tokai district in 1981-82. Interview examination with BMRC questionnaire, X-ray examination and measurement of urinary hydroxyproline to creatinine ratio (HOP ratio) were carried out in order to elucidate the relationship between silicosis and urinary HOP ratio and to demonstrate the effect of smoking on pneumofibrosis. Grade of silicosis was classified into five types (0 to 4) based on the Japanese Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses. In evaluating the behavior of urinary HOP ratio, when smoking factor is added in the early grade of pneumofibrosis (type 1 and type 2), collagen decomposition rate is rapidly repressed and fibroplastic conditions develop to the final grade as type 3 and 4, although smoking itself does not seem to induce pneumofibrosis. To exclude the effects of smoking, nonsmoking group was used for measurement of HOP ratio by grade. The HOP ratio in type 0 was lowest and HOP ratio increased in the order of type 1 and type 2. The turning point was found in type 2 and their HOP ratio decreased one after another. The turning point shifted from type 2 to type 3 in the case of non-smokers without any index symptoms by BMRC questionnaire and also shifted to type 1, in the case of non-smokers with them. Shifting of turning point suggests that index symptoms also promote fibroplastic activities.