[Ventilatory and gas exchange functions of the lungs in occupational and other pulmonary diseases].

Aim: To study lung ventilation and gas exchange in interstitional and obstructive diseases of dust-induced and non-occupational origin for correction of pulmonary diseases.

Material And Methods: Diffuse lung capacity (Erich Jaeger unit) and biomechanical properties of the ventilation system (total plethysmography on the bodyplethysmograph made by Erich Jaeger) were investigated in 132 patients including 87 with occupational dust-induced pulmonary diseases (pneumoconiosis, dust bronchitis, exogenic allergic alveolitis, bronchial asthma) and 45 patients with non-occupational diseases: sarcoidosis (n = 28), exogenic allergic alveolitis (n = 10) and bronchial asthma (n = 7).

Results: The changes were of the same type but different severity. Diffuse capacity was subnormal in all the groups, most of all in patients with exogenic allergic alveolitis and sarcoidosis of stage 2-4. In patients with occupational diseases DLCO was reduced, residual volume, total lung capacity were elevated, they had hypoxemia.

Conclusion: The changes in patients with dust-induced diseases of the lungs may be interpreted primarily as disorders of distribution, imbalance between ventilation and perfusion. Diffusion disorders in patients with alveolitis and sarcoidosis correlated with changes in alveolar-capillary membrane.