The Relationship between Ventilatory Capacity and Simple Pneumoconiosis in Coalworkers: The Effect of Population Selection

Abstract

The diagnosis in life of coalworkers' pneumoconiosis is based on the industrial history and the chest radiograph. The most striking complaint is excessive breathlessness on exertion. The relationship of this symptom to radiological abnormality is of practical importance in assessing compensation; in most schemes the assumption is made that if a readily diagnosable degree of pneumoconiosis is present and the man is breathless, then the breathlessness is caused by the pneumoconiosis if no other cause is apparent. This assumes a reasonably close relationship between radiological abnormality and breathlessness after allowing for the effects of age.In full reviews of the literature, Worth and Schiller (1954), and Gilson, Hugh-Jones, Oldham, and Meade (1955), conclude that complicated pneumoconiosis is a cause of moderate or severe breathlessness and the extent of the radiological abnormality relates reasonably well to the degree of breathlessness when age is taken into account.The position in the case of simple pneumoconiosis is far less certain. A number of investigators (Jequier-Doge

Pneumoconiosis and Respiratory Symptoms in Miners at Eight Collieries

“…6) that the proportion of men with respiratory symptoms in any given age-group increases as the x-ray category rises, is consistent with the findings of Hart and Aslett (1942), Zorn (1949), Worth and Dickmans (1950), and Beckmann (1951). On the other hand, Bohme and Lent (1951), Hugh-Jones (1955), andHiggins et al (1956) have reported a higher prevalence of symptoms in miners without pneumoconiosis than in those with this condition, whereas Newell and Browne (1955) and Pemberton (1956) have been unable to show any relationship. It is worth noting that a large number of men even with advanced categories of pneumoconiosis have no respiratory symptoms.…”

“…Soon afterwards, however, evidence began to accumulate which threw doubt on the commonly held belief that simple pneumoconiosis was a disease causing substantial disability (Lavenne and Belayew, 1953;Gilson and Hugh-Jones, 1955;Carpenter et al, 1956).…”

Spirometric Study of the Bronchodilating Effects of Hydroxyphenylorciprenaline (Th 1165 a) in Various Forms in a Group of 124 Coal Miners Suffering from Bronchospasm

“…FEV, or FEV 0.75 sec [21] less the initial 100 ml according to C ar pe n t e r [5]. Peak flow [19,43,44], for instance using a peak flow meter [11,12,25,43].…”

Tobacco Smoking, Respiratory Symptoms, and Ventilatory Capacity

“…The validation of this test as an objective measure of respiratory disability and the reasons for preferring it to the M.B.C. measured directly have been considered previously (Carpenter et al, 1956). Its accuracy, simplicity, and repeatability are characteristics admirably suited to field investigations, particularly when these are continued over a number of years.…”