• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.1 s.25
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• pp.25-28
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• 1989

Sixty-two medical records of patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis who died in hospital as coal workers' pneumoconiosis were analysed for study of the relationship between forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) and life expectancy in coal workers'pneumoconiosis. In the group who died of asphyxia from hemoptysis, life expectancy were well fitted with $FEV_1$(p<0.05). But others were not well fitted to simple linear regression equation. The prevalence of ECG sign of col pulmonale was more in the group of cardiorespiratory failure than asphyxia group. So, in the case of far advanced cor pulmonale, it was difficult to predict life expectancy by simple linear regression equation

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.471-482
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• 1996

Early recognition of coalescence in pneumoconiotic lesions is important because such coalescence is associated with the respiratory symptoms and deterioration of lung function. This complicated form of pneumoconiosis also has worse prognosis than does simple pneumoconiosis. High resolution computerized tomography(HRCT) provides significant additional information on the stage of the pneumoconiosis because it easily detects coalescence of nodules and emphysema that may not be apparent on the simple radiograph. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of HRCT in detection of large opacity and the relationship of change between the coalescence of nodules or emphysema and lung function in dust exposed workers. 1. There was good correlation between the HRCT grade of pneumoconiosis and ILO category of profusion. 5(9.09%) in 55 study population had confluent nodule extending eve, two o, more cuts on HRCT. HRCT could identify the pneumoconiotic nodules which was not found by simple radiogrphy in 6 workers with category 0/0. 2. No significant difference was observed coalescence of nodules and emphysema by dust type. 3. There was no significant difference in pulmonary function according to ILO and HRCT classification. 4. HRCT could detect the significant reduction in $FEV_1,\;FEV_1/FVC$, PEFR, $FEF_{25},\;FEF_{50},\;and\;FEF_{75}$ and remarkable increase in RV and TLC in study persons with emphysema compared with non-emphysema group. 5. Emphysema was found more often in nodules-coalescence group than small opacity group by HRCT. We found that HRCT could easily detect areas of coalescence and complicated emphysema compared to plain chest X-ray. Also our data suggest that it is primarily the degree of emphysema rather than the degree of pneumoconiosis that determines the level of pulmonary function.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.247-254
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• 1987

Serum immunoglobulin(Ig)A, IgG, IgM, levels were measured in 99 coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients and 12 healthy coal workers and 9 non-miners to compare with each group by the radiological categories, its complications and working period in coal mine. Serum were measured by nephelometry, The findings were as follows: 1) Serum IgA levels were significantly different between three groups of CWP patient, healthy coal worker and non-miner ($mean{\pm}standard$ deviation: $226.4{\pm}87.7,\;221.3{\pm}45.1,\;170.1{\pm}65.7$ respectively). 2) There were no significant differences of Ig levels among radiological categories of CWP. 3) There were no significant differences of Ig levels among simple pneumoconiosis and its complicated disorders. 4) The three Ig levels were slightly increased in the group of mining years less than 20 years (IgA: r=0.1869, p<0.10 IgG: r=0.2902, p<0.05 IgM: r=0.2889, p<0.05).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.245-250
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• 1988

For the evaluation of change of FVC and $FEV_1$ after discontinuance of bronchodilator in the coal workers' pneumoconiosis patients, 17 pairs of patients were selected. They were matched by the age(${\pm}5$ y.o.) and the type of ventilatory impairment. Pulmonary function was measured 2 times bimonthly before and after the drug discontinuance discontinued after measurement of PFT for 2 times. In case group the bronchodilator was discontinued after measurement of PFT for 2 times. In control group there was no interruption of medication. FVC, $FEV_1$ decreased in both group as measurement progress. Simple linear regression coefficients against the month of measurement were calculated in both group and tested for parallelism between two groups. The results of test revealed that both regression coefficients were parallel. So in conclusively, discontinuance of medication of bronchodilator for coal workers pneumoconiosis patients has no effect on the decreasing rate of FVC, $FEV_1$.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 2001

Background : Coal workers' pneumoconiosis is a fibrotic lung disease resulting from chronic inhalation of coal dust. The precise mechanism of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis is uncertain. However, a relationship between the stimulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production by mediators released from in flammatory and resident lung cells is thought to be a major factor. The transforming growth factor-$\beta$(TGF-$\beta$), a multifunctional cytokine and growth factor, plays a key role in the scarring and fibrotic processes due to its ability to induce extracellular matrix proteins and modulate the growth and immune function of many cell types. To determine the involvement of TGF-$\beta$ in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis, the TGF-${\beta}_1$ level in plasma was measured in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Methods : Plasma was collected from 40 patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (20 with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and 20 with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis) and from 10 normal controls. The ELISA method was used to measure the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ concentration. Results : Compared to the control group ($0.63{\pm}01.8$ ng/mL), there was no significant difference in the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ level in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis ($0.64{\pm}0.17$ ng/mL) (p>0.05). However, in patients with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ level ($0.79{\pm}0.18$ ng/mL) was significantly higher than in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : The data suggests that TGF-${\beta}_1$ has some influence in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.255-258
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• 1999

Pneumoconiosis, very popular to coal miners who are exposed to coal dusts dominantly, was introduced in the 19th century to describe lung diseases consequent to the inhalation of mineral dusts. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis(CWP) colloquially called "black lung" in the United States, is a distinct pathologic entity resulting from the tissue reaction to deposits of dust include the coal macule, which associated with focal emphysema constitutes the characteristic lesion of simple CWP and complicated CWP or progressive massive fibrosis(PMF). Coal mining are also associated with chronic bronchitis, chronic airflow limitation, and/or generalized emphysema. Progressive massive fibrosis lesions may imprint on and obliterate airways and vessels, and cavitation is not uncommon, being the consequence of ischemic necrosis or mycobacterial infections. We report a case which is unusual form of progressive massive fibrosis to be differentiated from lung carcinoma. It is a rapid growing PMF with ischemic necrosis. By the studies which are about risk of having progressive massive fibroois, it is predicted to be 1.4%. And the other study shows that simple pneumoconiosis clearly predisposed to PMF, with five year attack rates of 13.9%, 12.5%, 4.4% and 0.2% among men with categories 3, 2, 1, and 0 respectively at the start of the risk periods.

• International Journal of Fuzzy Logic and Intelligent Systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2002

Automatic detection of interstitial lung disease using Neural Network is presented. The rounded opacities in the pneumoconiosis X-ray photo are picked up quickly by a back propagation (BP) neural network with several typical training patterns. The training patterns from 0.6 mm ${\O}$ to 4.0 mm ${\O}$ are made by simple circles. The total evaluation is done from the size and figure categorization. Mary simulation examples show that the proposed method gives much reliable result than traditional ones.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.615-623
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• 2001

Background : Pneumoconiosis is a parenchymal lung disease that results from the accumulation of coal dust in the lungs and the consequent tissue reaction. To evaluate the role of various personal factors in pneumoconiosis and the significance of some serologic markers for assessing the disease activity related to pneumoconiosis, the Rheumatoid Factor(RF), ${\alpha}_1$-AT, C-Reactive Protein(CRP), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen levels were measured. Method : All the patients were males, 45-76 years old, and the mean duration of coal dust exposure was 23.2 years. 51 patients were classified as having Simple Pneumoconiosis (SP), 59 had Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF). Fifty eight men with ages ranging from 26-70 years were used as normal controls. The serum RF and CRP were titrated using an Autochemistry analyzer (HITACHI 7150 : Japan) and the ${\alpha}_1$-AT and ceruloplasmin levels were measured using a Nephelometer (Behring Nephelometer : Germany) and the fibrinogen levels were estimated by using an Autoanalyzer for hematologic coagulation. Result : There was a higher RF level in the SP, and PMF groups than in the control groups but there was no statistical difference. The CRP, ${\alpha}_1$-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels were also higher in the SP, and PMF groups. However, the fibrinogen concentration was within the normal ranges in both the SP and PMF groups. Conclusion : The CWP (Ed note : Define CWP) patients had significantly higher CRP, ${\alpha}_1$-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels compared to the control group. It is believed that these serologic changes could be used as a marker of the disease activity.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.4 s.28
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• pp.486-494
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• 1989

Lead, iron, and zinc concentrations in whole blood were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, using a simple one-step dilution procedure, which were measured in 3 groups, 98 officers unexposed to dust or to metal, 58 coal miners without pneumoconiosis, and 113 coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients. The results were as follows : 1. The precisions (C. V.%) of lead, iron, and zinc in blood were $12.65{\pm}6.95%,\;1.47{\pm}1.25%\;and\;6.35{\pm}3.34%$, respectively. 2. Lead and zinc in blood showed the log-normal distribution unlike iron in blood which showed normal distribution. 3. Lead, iron, and zinc concentrations in blood of 3 groups were follows : There was significant difference of concentration for zinc in blood by groups statistically. 4. The difference of lead, iron, and zinc concentrations in blood was not significant (p>0.05) by profusion on chest radiographs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.2
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• pp.56-62
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of pulmonary function impairment (PFI) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), and the effect of pneumoconiosis on CAC or PFI. Methods: Seventy-six subjects exposed to inorganic dusts underwent coronary artery calcium scoring by MDCT, spirometry, laboratory tests, and a standardized questionnaire. CAC was quantified using a commercial software (Rapidia ver. 2.8), and all the subjects were divided into two categories according to total calcium scores (TCSs), either the non-calcified (<1) or the calcified (${\geq}1$) group. Obstructive pulmonary function impairment (OPFI) was defined as forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ($FEV_1$/FVC, %)<70, and as $FEV_1$/FVC (%){\geq}70 and FVC<80 for restrictive pulmonary function impairment (RPFI) by spirometry. All subjects were classified as either the case (profusion${\geq}1/0$) or the control (profusion${\leq}0/1$) group by pneumoconiosis findings on simple digital radiograph. Results: Of the 76 subjects, 35 subjects (46.1%) had a CAC. Age and hypertension were different significantly between the non-calcified and the calcified group (p<0.05). Subjects with pneumoconiosis were more frequent in the calcified group than those in the non-calcified group (p=0.099). $FEV_1$/FVC (%) was significantly correlated with TCSs (r=-0.316, p=0.005). Subjects with OPFI tended to increase significantly with increasing of TCS (4.82, p=0.028), but not significantly in RPFI (2.18, p=0.140). Subjects with OPFI were significantly increased in the case group compared to those in the control group. Conclusion: CAC is significantly correlated with OPFI, and CAC and OPFI may be affected by pneumoconiosis findings.