Radiological Changes, Pulmonary Function, and Systemic Inflammation in Pneumoconiosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Medicine
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Pneumoconiosis remains a significant occupational health issue despite medical advancements.
• Understanding disease progression is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in pulmonary function and systemic inflammation in pneumoconiosis patients.
• To investigate the relationship between radiological progression and these changes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 109 pneumoconiosis patients (2007-2024).
• Analysis of spirometry, DLCO, ILO pneumoconiosis categories, and hemogram parameters.
• Assessment of associations using non-parametric and regression analyses.

Main Results:

• Radiological progression observed in 20.2% of patients, increasing with disease category.
• Significant annual declines in FEV₁ and FEV₁/FVC noted.
• DLCO decline was more pronounced in patients with radiological progression; inflammatory markers increased.

Conclusions:

• Pneumoconiosis patients experience progressive pulmonary function decline and inflammatory marker changes.
• Radiological progression correlates with greater DLCO reduction.
• Integrated assessment of radiological, functional, and laboratory data is vital for characterizing disease burden.