Urine LMs quantitative analysis strategy development and LMs CWP biomarkers discovery.

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is one of the most common inhalation occupational diseases. It is no effective treatment methods. Early diagnosis of CWP could reduce mortality. Lipid mediators (LMs) as key mediators in the generation and resolution of inflammation, are natural biomarkers for diagnosis inflammatory disease, such as CWP. The UHPLC-MRM technique was used to detect LMs in urine. The metabolic network of LMs in CWP and CT group samples was comprehensively analyzed. Screening for major difference compounds between the two groups. Aimed to contribute to the early diagnosis and treatment of CWP. Urinary levels of 13-OxoODE, 9-OxoODE, and 9,10-EpOME were significantly higher in the CWP group compared with the CT group (P < 0.05). In the model group, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) for 9-OxoODE,13-OxoODE,9,10-EpOME was 84.4%, 73.3%, and 80.9%, respectively. In the validation group, the area under the ROC was 87.0%, 88.8%, and 68.8% for 9-OxoODE,13-OxoODE,9,10-EpOME, respectively. According to the logistic regression model, the area under the ROC was 80.4% in the model group and 86.7% in the validation group. 13-OxoODE,9-OxoODE,9,10-EpOME could be used as biomarkers for early diagnosis. Significant abnormalities of LOX and CYP450 enzyme pathways were seen in CWP organisms. Changes in the CYP450 enzyme pathway may be associated with PAHs.

Predicting coal workers' pneumoconiosis trends: Leveraging historical data with the GARCH model in a Chinese Miner Cohort.

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is one of the most common and severe occupational diseases worldwide. The main risk factor of CWP is exposure to respirable mine dust. Prediction theory was widely applied in the prediction of the epidemic. Here, it was used to identify the characteristics of CWP today and the incidence trends of CWP in the future. Eight thousand nine hundred twenty-eight coal workers from a state-owned coal mine were included during the observation period from 1963 to 2014. In observations, the dust concentration gradually decreased over time, and the incidence of tunnels and mine, transportation, and assistance workers showed an overall downward trend. We choose a better prediction model by comparing the prediction effect of the Auto Regression Integrate Moving Average model and Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity model. Compared with the Auto Regression Integrate Moving Average model, the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity model has a better prediction effect. Furthermore, the status quo and future trend of coal miners' CWP are still at a high level.

Vitamin D3 reverses immune tolerance and enhances the cytotoxicity of effector T cells in coal pneumoconiosis.

Coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a common occupational disease that coal miners are highly susceptible due to long-term exposure to coal dust particles (CDP). CWP can induce the accumulation of immune cells surrounding the bronchioles and alveoli in the lungs, resulting in pulmonary fibrosis and compromised immune function. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq), our previous studies disclose that CDP exposure triggers heterogeneity of transcriptional profiles in mouse pneumoconiosis, while Vitamin D3 (VitD3) supplementation reduces CDP-induced cytotoxicity; however, the mechanism by which how VitD3 regulates immune status in coal pneumoconiosis remains unclear. In this study, we elucidated the heterogeneity of pulmonary lymphocytes in mice exposed to CDP and demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of VitD3 using scRNA-Seq dataset. The validation of key lymphocyte markers and their functional molecules was performed using immunofluorescence. The results demonstrated that VitD3 increased the number of naive T cells by modulating CD4 + T cell differentiation and decreased the number of Treg cells in CDP-exposed mice, thereby enhancing the cytotoxic activity of CD8 + effector T cells. These effects markedly alleviated lung fibrosis and symptoms. Taken together, the mechanism by which VitD3 regulates the functions of lymphocytes in CWP provides a new perspective for further research on the prevention and treatment of CWP.

Comparison of the 68 Ga-FAPI Versus 18 F-FDG in Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Anthracosis-Associated Lymph Nodes: FAPI Unmasking False-Negatives and False-Positives.

ABSTRACT: A 73-year-old woman with poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma was referred to 18 F-FDG PET/CT for evaluation of the disease. FDG PET/CT showed intense uptake in the disseminated lymph nodes. However, there was no uptake in the primary tumoral lesion. Subsequently, 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT was performed with the decision of the tumor board and demonstrated intense uptake in the tumoral lesion. However, there was low or no uptake in disseminated lymph nodes. Tru-cut biopsy results revealed that all the lymph nodes were associated with anthracosis.

Progressive Massive Fibrosis Identified at Federally Funded Black Lung Clinics in the US.

This study of US Black Lung Clinics (established to treat coal miners) reports the prevalence of progressive massive fibrosis identified through June 2023.

[Analysis of suspected occupational diseases cases and subsequent diagnosis follow-up investigation in Hubei Province from 2020 to 2021].

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of suspected occupational diseases cases, and to track the subsequent diagnosis of suspected cases in Hubei Province from 2020 to 2021, and to provide theoretical basis for the supervision of suspected occupational diseases. Methods: In April 2022, the data of suspected occupational diseases cases and occupational diseases in Hubei Province from 2020 to 2021 were collected by the Occupational Diseases and Health Risk Factors Information Surveillance System. The distribution and diagnosis of suspected occupational diseases cases were analyzed. We investigated undiagnosed suspected occupational diseases by telephone. Results: From 2020 to 2021, a total of 1872 cases of suspected occupational diseases in 6 categories and 18 species were reported in Hubei Province. The top three suspected occupational diseases were suspected occupational noise deafness (36.75%, 688/1872), suspected coal worker's pneumoconiosis (33.07%, 619/1872) and suspected silicosis (20.99%, 393/1872). The diagnosis rate of suspected occupational diseases was 33.60% (629/1872). The rate of confirmed diagnosis was 63.59% (400/629). The diagnosis rate (26.86%, 456/1698) and rate of confirmed diagnosis (55.48%, 253/456) of suspected occupational diseases detected by occupational health examination were the lowest. The diagnosis rate of suspected occupational diseases detected by comprehensive medical institutions and private medical institutions were lower than disease prevention and control institutions and occupational disease prevention center (P<0.05). The main reasons for not entering the diagnostic procedure included that workers were not informed that they were diagnosed as suspected occupational diseases (31.55%, 124/393), workers were unwilling to apply for occupational disease diagnosis (18.56%, 73/393), and some workers planned to apply for diagnosis but had not yet applied (10.69%, 42/393) . Conclusion: Occupational noise deafness, coal worker's pneumoconiosis and silicosis are the main diseases of suspected occupational diseases in Hubei Province. In order to increase the diagnosis rate and confirmed diagnosis rate of suspected occupational diseases, it is suggested to strengthen management and supervision from the aspects of case management, information warning and worker notification.

Suspension characteristics of the coal-quartz dust mixture in the working environment during the fully mechanized mining process.

Dust exposures during mining activity can result in lung diseases such as coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and silicosis, and it is closely related to quartz dust. In the present study, coal-quartz dust mixture were investigated considering the particle size and the specific constituents. Multiple numerical techniques, including computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM), hard sphere model, and direct Monte Carlo simulation (DSMC), were presented, and the dust diffusion processes were investigated. According to the validation of the numerical method, the suspension characteristics of the polydisperse mixed dust were analyzed in detail. The results show that PM10 responds quickly, has a large diffusion range, and is easily affected by the reflux. The particle size increases gradually from top to bottom. When the air velocity is low, the percentage of coal dust in the breathing zone tends to be 50%. The results provide theoretical guidance for the comprehensive prevention of the mixed dust in underground coal mines.

[Analysis of clinical diagnostic characteristics of 26131 patients with pneumoconiosis in Hunan Province].

Objective: To analyze the clinical diagnostic characteristics of pneumoconiosis patients of migrant workers in Hunan Province, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis. Methods: In February 2022, through the Hunan Provincial Medical Treatment and Assistance Information Platform for Pneumoconiosis Migrant Workers, the cases of irresponsible subjects with pneumoconiosis that were first diagnosed clinically in Hunan Province from January 2017 to December 2021 were collected, and analyzed their gender, age, length of service, types of pneumoconiosis, stages of pneumoconiosis, and comorbidities. Results: From January 2017 to December 2021, there were a total of 26131 cases of irresponsible pneumoconiosis patients diagnosed clinically in Hunan Province, with males accounting for 99.8% (26072 cases) and an average age of (60.66±8.04) years old. Among the 26131 patients, coal workers' pneumoconiosis and silicosis were the main causes, with 16816 and 9078 cases respectively, accounting for 99.1% of the diagnosed cases. There were 8640 cases (33.1%) of stageⅠpneumoconiosis, 6601 cases (25.2%) of stage Ⅱ pneumoconiosis, and 10890 cases (41.7%) of stage Ⅲ pneumoconiosis. 2051 patients experienced complications. The average age of exposure to dust of 26131 patients was (17.81±9.69) years, and the age of exposure to dust in silicosis patients was (14.60±9.62) years. The working age of coal worker's pneumoconiosis was (19.60±9.26) years. Compared with coal workers' pneumoconiosis patients, silicosis patients had a shorter working time exposed to dust, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Coal workers' pneumoconiosis and silicosis are mainly diagnosed for the first time in migrant workers' pneumoconiosis patients in Hunan Province. Pneumoconiosis patients should be diagnosed in time, which is conducive to treatment and rehabilitation.

[Analysis of the disease burden of pneumoconiosis globally and in China from 1990 to 2019].

Objective: To analyze the disease burden of pneumoconiosis globally and in China from 1990 to 2019 using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 data, and to provide a theoretical basis for prevention and control of pneumoconiosis. Methods: In September 2022, the data of incidence, prevalence, morality and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of pneumoconiosis and its subtypes globally and in China from 1990 to 2019 were collected from GBD 2019, including absolute number and age-standardized rate (ASR). Joinpoint linear regression model was used to calculate average annual percent change (AAPC) and analyze the change trends of incidence, prevalence, mortality and DALY of pneumoconiosis and its subtypes. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the incident cases, prevalent cases and DALY value of pneumoconiosis showed upward trends, while the number of death cases showed downward trends. And the ASR of incidence (ASIR), the ASR of prevalence (ASPR), the ASR of mortality (ASMR) and the ASR of DALY (ASDR) showed downward trends globally and in China. China accounted for a large proportion of the global disease burden of penumoconiosis, accounting for more than 67% of the incident cases, more than 80% of the prevalent cases, more than 43% of the deaths cases and more than 60% of the absolute number of DALY in the world every year. Male were the main population of pneumoconiosis disease burden globally and in China, and the age of onset was earlier than that of female. The peak age periods of incidence, prevalence, mortality and DALY of pneumoconiosis globally and in China from 1990 to 2019 have increased. Silicosis was still the type with the highest disease burden of pneumoconiosis globally and in China. The disease burden of coal workers' pneumoconiosis had an overall improvement trend, but asbestosis had an increasing disease burden worldwide. Conclusion: The disease burden of pneumoconiosis is heavy globally and in China, which is necessary to strengthen the supervision and prevention measures according to gender, age and etiological types.

What is the yield of EBUS-TBNA for re-evaluation of previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer?

BACKGROUND: Locoregional recurrence in lung cancer still remains an important problem. We aimed to indicate the effectiveness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for reevaluation in previously treated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: : NSCLC patients who underwent EBUS for rebiopsy of suspicious recurrent or progressive lesions between January 2010 and June 2017 were reviewed. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the previous treatment modalities: Group 1 (G1) consisted of patients who had been treated with chemoradiotherapy, and Group 2 (G2) consisted of patients who had undergone radical surgery. RESULTS: Of 115 patients, 100 patients enrolled in the study. Of 26 patients with 35 lymph nodes in G1, malignant cells were identified in thirteen patients (50%). Anthracosis was detected in the remaining. Malignancy was detected in 28 patients (37.8%) in G2. Thirty-threepatients were diagnosed as benign (24 anthracosis; 8 lymphocytes, and 1 granulomatous); 8 were not sampled, and inadequate material was obtained in five. The sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value, and overall diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA for rebiopsy in G1 were 84.8%, 100%, 89.1%, 100%, and 93.2%, respectively. These values were all perfect in G2. DISCUSSION: EBUS-TBNA could be preferred as a feasible and efficient procedure for rebiopsy in previously treated NSCLC patients.

Efficient clinical data analysis for prediction of coal workers' pneumoconiosis using machine learning algorithms.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to propose an efficient coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) clinical prediction system and put it into clinical use for clinical diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: Patients with CWP and dust-exposed workers who were enrolled from August 2021 to December 2021 were included in this study. Firstly, we chose the embedded method through using three feature selection approaches to perform the prediction analysis. Then, we performed the machine learning algorithms as the model backbone and combined them with three feature selection methods, respectively, to determine the optimal predictive model for CWP. RESULTS: Through applying three feature selection approaches based on machine learning algorithms, it was found that AaDO2 and some pulmonary function indicators played an important role in prediction for identifying CWP of early stage. The support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was proved as the optimal machine learning model for predicting CWP, with the ROC curves obtained from three feature selection methods using SVM algorithm whose AUC values of 97.78%, 93.7%, and 95.56%, respectively. CONCLUSION: We developed the optimal model (SVM algorithm) through comparisons and analyses among the performances of different models for the prediction of CWP as a clinical application.

[Analysis of disease burden of occupational pneumoconiosis in Gansu Province from 2010 to 2020].

Objective: Through comparative analysis of the disease burden of occupational pneumoconiosis in Gansu Province from 2010 to 2020, the main influencing factors are screened, and scientific basis is provided for rational allocation of limited health resources, precise management and policy implementation. Methods: In August 2021, survey and collect information on surviving occupational pneumoconiosis patients and dead occupational pneumoconiosis patients diagnosed in Gansu Province from 2010 to 2020, and analyze and calculate indicators such as morbidity, mortality, and disability adjusted of life years (DALY). Analyzing the influencing factors of disease burden usirrg multiple linear regression. Results: From 2010 to 2020, the average annual incidence of occupational pneumoconiosis in Gansu Province was 0.9992/100000, the average annual mortality was 0.897/100000, the cumulative case fatality rate was 25.75%, and the cumulative DALY was 28932.96 person-years. The first stage of occupational pneumoconiosis was the highest among DALY loss (19920.14 person-years), and the DALY loss was positively correlated with the stage of occupational pneumoconiosis. Among occupational pneumoconiosis in Gansu Province, silicosis (13753.66 person-years) and coal worker's pneumoconiosis (13414.73 person-years) caused the highest disease burden, followed by cement pneumoconiosis and asbestos lung. Period, length of service, type of disease, and region are all influencing factors of DALY loss (P<0.05). Conclusion: From 2010 to 2020, the DALY losses caused by occupational pneumoconiosis in Gansu Province showed a fluctuating decrease, with the composition of DALY mainly changing from the loss of life years due to premature death to the loss of years due to injury and disability.

The presence of anthracosis is associated with the environmental air quality of zoo, wildlife, and companion animals in Jeollabuk-do Province, South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To determine pulmonary anthracosis in zoo, wildlife, and companion animals of Jeollabuk-do Province, South Korea. ANIMALS: A total of 350 animals of 61 different species, belonging to 3 classes (mammals: n = 38; avian: 21; and reptiles: 2) from different habitats in Jeollabuk-do Province, were examined. PROCEDURES: Gross lung examination and tissue sampling were done at postmortem, and histopathological analysis was microscopically done on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides. RESULTS: Macroscopic analysis of anthracotic lung tissue revealed minute (pinpoint size) spots and black pigmentation in a scattered and/or coalescing fashion. The presence of carbon particles was noted in 154 (44%, 154/350) cases. Based on habitation, zoo animals had the highest frequency of anthracosis in the lung (55.2%, 69/125), followed by companion animals (45.2%, 56/124) and wildlife animals (28.7%, 29/101). There was an association between habitation and the presence of anthracosis (P < .05). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study revealed evidence that the presence of anthracosis is associated with the environmental air quality of zoo, wildlife, and companion animals in Jeollabuk-do Province, South Korea. Air pollution may affect the respiratory health of the endangered species at the Jeonju Zoo as well as the human population. Continuous monitoring of particulate matter and establishing policies that control industrialization around the province would enable quick action to curb any potential respiratory health risks to animals kept in the urban cities of the province.

[Application of a light-weighted convolutional neural network for automatic recognition of coal workers' pneumoconiosis in the early stage].

Objective: To construct and verify a light-weighted convolutional neural network (CNN), and explore its application value for screening the early stage (subcategory 0/1 and stage Ⅰ of pneumoconiosis) of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) from digital chest radiography (DR) . Methods: A total of 1225 DR images of coal workers who were examined at an Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Institute in Anhui Province from October 2018 to March 2021 were retrospectively collected. All DR images were collectively diagnosed by 3 radiologists with diagnostic qualifications and gave diagnostic results. There were 692 DR images with small opacity profusion 0/- or 0/0 and 533 DR images with small opacity profusion 0/1 to stage Ⅲ of pneumoconiosis. The original chest radiographs were preprocessed differently to generate four datasets, namely 16-bit grayscale original image set (Origin16), 8-bit grayscale original image set (Origin 8), 16-bit grayscale histogram equalized image set (HE16) and 8-bit grayscale histogram equalized image set (HE8). The light-weighted CNN, ShuffleNet, was applied to train the generated prediction model on the four datasets separately. The performance of the four models for pneumoconiosis prediction was evaluated on a test set containing 130 DR images using measures such as the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index. The Kappa consistency test was used to compare the agreement between the model predictions and the physician diagnosed pneumoconiosis results. Results: Origin16 model achieved the highest ROC area under the curve (AUC=0.958), accuracy (92.3%), specificity (92.9%), and Youden index (0.8452) for predicting pneumoconiosis, with a sensitivity of 91.7%. And the highest consistency between identification and physician diagnosis was observed for Origin16 model (Kappa value was 0.845, 95%CI: 0.753-0.937, P<0.001). HE16 model had the highest sensitivity (98.3%) . Conclusion: The light-weighted CNN ShuffleNet model can efficiently identify the early stages of CWP, and its application in the early screening of CWP can effectively improve physicians' work efficiency.

Cigarette Smoking, and Blood Monocyte Count Correlate with Chronic Lung Injuries and Mortality.

Background: Cigarette smoking (CS)-related monocytosis contributes to the development of chronic lung injuries via complex mechanisms. We aim to determine correlations between measures of CS and monocytes, their capacities to predict chronic lung diseases, and their associations with mortality. Methods: A single-center retrospective study of patients undergoing surgical resection for suspected lung nodules/masses was performed. CS was quantified as cigarettes smoked per day (CPD), duration of smoking, composite pack years (CPY), current smoking status, and smoking cessation years. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Of 382 eligible patients, 88% were ever smokers. In this group, 45% were current smokers with mean CPD of 27.2±40.0. CPY and duration of smoking showed positive linear correlations with percentage monocyte count. Physiologically, CPY was associated with progressive obstruction, hyperinflation, and reduced diffusion capacity (DLCO). Across the quartiles of smoking, there was an accumulation of radiologic and histologic abnormalities. Anthracosis and emphysema were associated with CPD, while lung cancer, respiratory bronchiolitis (RB), emphysema, and honeycombing were statistically related to duration of smoking. Analysis using consecutive CPY showed associations with lung cancer (≥10 and <30), fibrosis (≥20 and <40), RB (≥50), anthracosis and emphysema (≥10 and onwards). Percentage monocytes correlated with organizing pneumonia (OP), fibrosis, and emphysema. The greater CPY increased mortality across the groups. Significant predictors of mortality included percentage monocyte, anemia, GERD, and reduced DLCO. Conclusion: Indices of CS and greater monocyte numbers were associated with endpoints of chronic lung disease suggesting a participation in pathogenesis. Application of these easily available metrics may support a chronology of CS-induced chronic lung injuries. While a relative lesser amount of smoking can be associated with lung cancer and fibrosis, greater CPY increases the risk for emphysema. Monocytosis predicted lung fibrosis and mortality. Duration of smoking may serve as a better marker of monocytosis and associated chronic lung diseases.

Esophageal anthracosis occurred after treatment of esophageal tuberculosis secondary to mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis: a rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Anthracosis is a disease generally considered to be in the lungs resulting from exposure to industrial dust in the workplace. Esophageal anthracosis is a fairly rare phenomenon and shows a strong correlation with tuberculosis. Moreover, esophageal involvement in tuberculosis is also rare. We here present an extremely rare case in which follow-up gastroesophageal endoscopy revealed a mass with a sunken, black area in the center and raised ring-like pattern in the surrounding mucosa resembling malignant melanoma. Uncovering the patient's tuberculosis history finally avoided a misdiagnosis or overtreatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital due to "repeated chest pain for 1 month". Endoscopic ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced CT scans revealed a mass adjacent to the esophageal wall with unclear boundaries. Aspiration biopsy confirmed that esophageal tuberculosis was caused by nearby mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis. After a standard anti-tuberculosis treatment regimen, the patient achieved a favorable prognosis. The follow-up gastroesophageal endoscopy showed a sunken black lesion with elevated peripheral mucosa replacing the original tuberculous mass, which was thought to be anthracosis, a disease that rarely occurs in the esophagus. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of tuberculosis should be taken into consideration when a submucosal mass appears in the middle part of the esophagus. Endoscopic ultrasonography can effectively contribute to a definite diagnosis. Moreover, this is the first case of esophageal anthracosis observed only 1 year after the treatment of tuberculosis, indicating esophageal anthracosis can be a short-term disease. The traction of the reduction of tubercular mediastinal lymph nodes after anti-tuberculosis treatment may create a circumstance for pigmentation or dust deposition.

The Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for the IgG Subclass in Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis.

Evidence suggests that exposure to coal dust increases immunoglobulin concentration. However, there is a paucity of data reporting immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass in coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). Therefore, this study intended to evaluate potential diagnostic biomarkers for the disease. CWP patients, dust-exposed workers without pneumoconiosis (DEW), and matched healthy controls (HCs) presented to the General Hospital of Datong Coal Mining Group and Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital of Datong Coal Mining Group between May 2019 and September 2019 were recruited. The serum immunoglobulin concentration was determined by the multiplex immunoassay technique. Totally, 104 CWP patients, 109 DEWs, and 74 HCs were enrolled. Serum levels of IgG1, IgG2, IgM, and IgA were elevated in CWPs compared with those in DEWs and HCs (P < 0.05). The order of diagnostic accuracy between CWPs and DEWs depicted by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was IgG2, IgM, IgG1, IgG3, and IgA. Significantly higher IgG1/IgG3 and IgG2/IgG3 ratios were observed in the CWP group than in DEW and HC groups. Based on the IgG2/IgG3 ratio, the area under the ROC curve between CWP and DEW was 0.785 (95% CI 0.723-0.838), with a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 73.4%. Our findings suggest that IgG1, IgG2, IgM, and IgA are higher in the CWPs than DEWs and HCs. The IgG2/IgG3 ratio provides a viable alternative for the diagnosis of CWP.

Survival and Disease Burden Analysis of Occupational Pneumoconiosis From 1956 to 2021 in Jiangsu Province.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study are to investigate the survival status and its influencing factors of pneumoconiosis patients and to analyze the disease burden and its trend in Jiangsu Province. METHODS: We used the life table and Cox model to analyze the survival status. The disease burden and its temporal trend were examined using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY). RESULTS: The average survival time was 16.22 ± 10.11 years. First diagnosis age, first diagnosis stage, and upgrade of stages were crucial risk factors for the survival. The cumulative DALY was 154,500.83 person-years. The DALY attributed to silicosis, coal worker pneumoconiosis, and welder's pneumoconiosis were 99,806.72 (64.60%), 35,483.21 (22.97%), and 37,85.83 (2.45%) person-years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although the disease burden of pneumoconiosis is decreasing because of the implementation of relevant health policies and improved medical standards, the prevention and control of pneumoconiosis still need greater attention.

Characteristics of pneumoconiosis in Zhejiang Province, China from 2006 to 2020: a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumoconiosis is the most prevalent occupational disease and displays different patterns in each province of China. Clarifying specific incidence patterns and temporal trends in Zhejiang Province can help provide valuable information on the prevention of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: Annual reports of pneumoconiosis for Zhejiang Province from 2006 to 2020 were extracted from the National Occupational Disease and Occupational Health Information Monitoring System. The information of cases included regions, diagnosis ages, genders, exposure durations, pneumoconiosis categories and stages, the first year of exposure, enterprise industries, scales and ownerships. RESULTS: Totally 6037 new cases of pneumoconiosis were reported between 2006 and 2020, which increased at first and then gradually declined since 2013. Among all pneumoconiosis cases, silicosis accounted for the majority (72.17%). Most of the cases occurred in small-scale and domestic-funded enterprises, which accounted for 71.75% and 96.97%, respectively. When analyzing the industry distribution, the cases were mainly concentrated in mining (37.12%), manufacturing (31.11%) and 'public administration and social organization' (23.94%) industry. The average diagnosis age among the pneumoconiosis cases was 55.44 years, and the median exposure duration was 11.00 years. Significantly older diagnosis age and longer exposure duration were found in females, coal workers' pneumoconiosis cases, cases with higher stages, cases with the first year of dust exposure earlier and cases from large-scale companies. In regional distribution, the top three cities reporting the most pneumoconiosis cases in Zhejiang Province were Taizhou, Quzhou and Hangzhou. CONCLUSION: The current situation of pneumoconiosis in Zhejiang Province was still serious, and government should further strengthen the surveillance of occupational diseases and supervision of enterprises. Moreover, publicity and education regarding pneumoconiosis should be carried out to raise awareness of dust exposure risk and associated health consequences.