A Study on Influence of Air Pollution to Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
1974 Volume 12 Issue 7 Pages 392-401
Details
1974 Volume 12 Issue 7 Pages 392-401
In order to clarify the influence of air pollution to chronic obstructive lung disease, the comparative study in the Yokkaichi and the non-airpolluted area was carried out.
The patients studied were followed up for over 3 years and examined the spirometries at least 3 times during this period.
The subjects chosen for this study were the patients matched in pairs for such factors as sex, age, age of onset and smoking history, which might influence the course of COLD.
Forty pairs of bronchial asthma and 30 pairs of chronic bronchitis were matched.
1) Hemoglobin decreased in the course of the observation in bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis in the Yokkaichi area but these diseases in the non-airpolluted area showed the increase of hemoglobin concentration in this period.
2) As to body weight, there was no significant difference between either area in either disease.
3) As to ECG, there was no significant difference between either area in either disease.
4) As to chest X-P, inflammatory and emphysematous findings were not changed before and after the observation in bronchial asthma in both areas.
Of chronic bronchitis, slightly intensive inflammatory findings were observed before and after the observation in the Yokkaichi area, but inflammatory changes became more intensive at the end of the observation in the non-airpolluted area. On the other hand, emphysematous findings were not changed before and after the observation in two areas.
5) As to the pulmonary function, there wes the slight decrease in yearly changes of VC and FEV1.0 in bronchial asthma in tha Yokkaichi area, but there was no significant difference between either area. Although some decrease in yearly changes of VC in chronlc bronchitis in both areas were observed, there was the significant decrease of VC in the Yokkaichi area comparing with the non-airpolluted area. (the Yokkaichi area: -69.4±123.6ml/yr, the non-airpolluted area: -3.1±82.0ml/yr) Decrease in yearly change of FEV1.0 was observed in both areaes, and there was no significant difference between either area. As the background factors of the patients in the two areas were almost same, air pollution may be responsible for the decrease of VC in the Yokkaichi area.
