PULMONARY MECHANICS IN SILICOSIS - CORRELATIONS WITH RADIOLOGICAL STAGES

Forty-three patients with silicosis, divided in 3 groups according to radiological stage, were investigated. Determinations of lung volumes and ventilatory capacities, lung compliance, elastic work, and respiratory resistance were carried out. Our results confirm the fact that there is impairment of pulmonary mechanics in silicotic patients. The decrease of lung compliance correlated with the x-ray picture in moderate and severe stages. The presence of alterations of pulmonary mechanics in silicotic patients with normal spirographic data is stressed. Values for lung compliance could be predicted in almost 3 quarters of the cases, starting from the vital capacity. The limits of the method necessitate caution in interpreting results. However, investigation of pulmonary mechanics in silicotic patients is useful for the overall evaluation of pulmonary function and to estimate work capacity. Being an objective methods, determination of pulmonary mechanics in silicotic patients is particularly useful to detect uncooperative subjects or malingerers and to assess pulmonary disability in litiginous cases.