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Objectives: To determine the incidence of subtypes of pulmonary emphysema identified by LDCT imaging and the relationship between emphysema subtypes with smoking and pulmonary function in miners. Methods: We reviewed 329 miners (245 men and 84 women). Each miner had a low dose (LD) chest CT. Among them 75 miners had a standard chest CT. The images were reconstructed using contemporary iterative reconstruction. Lung volumes and emphysema severity was calculated using automated densitometry segmentation software and qualitative visual analyses.There were two subtypes of pulmonary emphysema found: centrilobular emphysema (CLE) and paraseptal emphysema (PSE). Based on these subtypes, CLE was divided into the following five categories: trace, mild, moderate, confluent, and advanced CLE. PSE was divided into the following two catergories: mild and substantial PSE. Results: Pulmonary emphysema was found in 89 (27.1%) of 329 miners. According to the survey, 73 (82.0%) miners had centrilobulor emphysema, and 17 (18.0%) had a paraseptal emphysema. The emphysema group was a lower Gensler index than thenon-emphysema group. The smoker group had higher emphysematous changes than the non-smoker groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Dose reduced CT isauseful study for the assessment of emphysema.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between COPD phenotypes and the BODE index. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 99 patients with COPD. COPD was classified using HRCT into the three morphological phenotypes. Lung function was analyzed by spirometry and the BODE index (Body-mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise) was calculated. Results: According to the survey, 53 (53.5%) patients had A phenotype, 31 (31.3%) had a M phenotype, and 15 (15.1%) had a E phenotype. Emphysema type has higher BODE index scores. BODE index scores increased significantly with increasing severity of COPD according to the GOLD classification (P

Objectives: Recent studies have established that rs1042713 and rs1042714 polymorphisms in the ADRB2 and rs4646994 in the ACE gene may have an influence on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development and its severity. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of ACE and ADRB2 gene polymorphisms with COPD. Methods: 100 patients with COPD and 100 healthy volunteers were randomly involved in this case-control study. The gene polymorphisms were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results: No significant differences were observed for allele and genotype frequencies of the rs4646994 polymorphism in the ACE gene between case and control groups (p > 0.05). Genotype frequencies of Gly/Gly16 (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.23-4.32, p = 0.027) and Gln/Gln27 (OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.14-3.63, p = 0.044) of the ADRB2 gene were more prevalent in COPD patients than the controls. Also, the proportion of the Gly16+Gln27 haplotype was statistically different between both groups (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.65-4.15, p

Background: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is known as severely air-polluted city in the world due to increased coal consumption in the cold season. The health effects of air pollution in Mongolia such as mortality, morbidity and symptoms have been previously reported. However, the concept of health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), which refers to the individual's perception of well-being, should also be included as an adverse health outcome of air pollution.Methods: Surveys on the Mongolian people living in Ulaanbaatar were performed in the warm and cold seasons. Self-completed questionnaires on the subjects' HR-QoL, data from health checkups and pulmonary function tests by respiratory specialists were collected for Mongolian adults aged 40-79 years (n = 666). Ambient PM2.5 and PM10 were concurrently sampled and the components were analyzed to estimate the source of air pollution.Results: In logistic regression analyses, respiratory symptoms and smoke-rich fuels were associated with reduced HR-QoL (> 50th percentile vs. ≤ 50th percentile). PM 2.5 levels were much higher in the cold season (median 86.4 μg/m3 (IQR: 58.7-121.0)) than in the warm season (12.2 μg/m3 (8.9-21.2). The receptor model revealed that the high PM2.5 concentration in the cold season could be attributed to solid fuel combustion. The difference in HR-QoL between subjects with and without ventilatory impairment was assessed after the stratification of the subjects by season and household fuel type. There were no significant differences in HR-QoL between subjects with and without ventilatory impairment regardless of household fuel type in the warm season. In contrast, subjects with ventilatory impairment who used smoke-rich fuel in the cold season had a significantly lower HR-QoL.Conclusions: Our study showed that air pollution in Ulaanbaatar worsened in the cold season and was estimated to be contributed by solid fuel combustion. Various aspects of HR-QoL in subjects with ventilatory impairment using smoke-rich fuels deteriorated only in the cold season while those with normal lung function did not. These results suggest that countermeasures or interventions by the policymakers to reduce coal usage would improve HR-QoL of the residents of Ulaanbaatar, especially for those with ventilatory impairment in the winter months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to delineate the natural progression of silicosis in fluorspar miners after the termination of dust exposure and identify its prognostic factors., Methods: This retrospective cohort study, conducted from 2000 to 2019, included 67 former miners. Radiological images were evaluated by comparing the initial and most recent radiographs using the International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconiosis. Cox multivariate proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios using follow-up time to analyse the multivariable study of associated prognostic factors., Results: Among the participants, 50 (75%) exhibited progression over 2-16 years (median: 5.8 years). The Cox analysis highlighted older age as a likely precursor to the progression of significant opacities. Additionally, higher ILO category grades at onset were associated with disease progression., Conclusions: Nearly three-quarters of the miners diagnosed with silicosis demonstrated radiological progression even after the termination of dust exposure. Advancement in age and the degree of initial radiological opacity were associated with progression., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests: T.N received consulting fees from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Johnson and Johnson K.K., I&H Co.Ltd, Konica Minolta, Inc., Cocokarafine Group Co. Ltd, NTT DATA and research grant from Kyoto University. All of them were outside the submitted work. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)