Mukhtiar Zaman, Saadia Ashraf, Amber Ashrar.
Pulmonary function tests and chest x-ray findings in coal-mine workers with respiratory symptoms.
Pak J Chest Med Jan ;12(1):3-10.

Objective: To detect presence of Coal-workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP) in the symptomatic coal miners and to document their lung function and chest X-ray findings. Design: An observational study of randomly selected coal-mine workers from district Shangla who had respiratory symptoms. Place and Duration of Study: Cenna Medical Centre, Swat in June 2003. Patients and Methods: Study sample of 101 male participants were administered a questionnaire to know their demographics, occupational history, symptoms followed by clinical examination, pulmonary function tests and chest x-rays. Results: The mean age group of the study sample was 37.56 yrs and BMI of 20.3. The mean of, starting work age was 17 yrs; duration of work 13 yrs and work per day was 9.57 hrs. 94 out of 101 had used or using tobacco in one or the other form; 18 smoked cigarettes, 67 used snuff and 4 used both. 95 out of 101 participants experienced dyspnea, 5,38,24,28 experienced activity grade 1,2,3,4 dyspnoea respectively. The mean percent predicted FEV1, FVC, PEFR was 77, 67, 94 and FEV1/FVC was 104%. The chest x-rays were read and classified according to 1980 ILO international protocol. 4, 28 and 73 chest X-rays revealed respectively normal, complicated CWP and simple CWP, with profusion abnormalities of 0/1 to 3/+ categories: Conclusion: This study confirms the presence of Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis in previously undiagnosed symptomatic coal-mine workers of variable severity. We recommend that for present and ex coal-miners a regular surveillance programmes should be organized.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com