Risk factors for the development of comorbid diseases of occupational bronchopulmonary pathology

Introduction. Сomorbid diseases in patients with occupational bronchopulmonary pathology determines the severity of the underlying disease.

The purpose was to identify risk factors for the development of concomitant diseases in occupational bronchopulmonary pathology in aluminum production workers.

Materials and methods. One hundred thirty men with an occupational pathology including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma (BA), chronic non-obstructive bronchitis (CNB) and their combination were examined. Inclusion criteria – male gender, age from 43 years to 72 years, established diagnosis of an occupational disease of the lower respiratory tract. The assessment of the significance of risk factors was carried out using the Bayesian method. Risk factors were taken: the patient’s occupation: total work experience, work experience in aluminum production, age, smoking. The odds ratio for the development of comorbid pathology (OR (CI)) was calculated.

Results. Concomitant pathology was detected in 97% of patients. The informativity of risk factors is presented as a series: occupation < age < total experience < experience in aluminum production < smoking. The OR of two comorbid diseases is higher in COPD patients (OR=10.8) and COPD+BA (OR=15.0). The risk of one comorbid disease is higher in CNB patients.

Limitations. The results cannot be generalized to workers as the group included only men.

Conclusion. The risk of two or more comorbid diseases is typical for patients with COPD or a combination of COPD+BA; electrolysis workers and persons working in various workshops; with more than 25 years of experience; currently continuing to smoke.

Compliance with ethical standards. In accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Association “Ethical principles for conducting scientific medical research involving humans” (as amended in 2008), “Rules of clinical practice in the Russian Federation” (approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation of 19.06.2003 No. 266) studies were conducted with the informed consent of the subjects, approved in the prescribed manner by the Committee on Biomedical Ethics. The research did not infringe on the rights, did not endanger the well-being of the subjects, did not harm their health.

Contribution of the authors:
Beigel E.A. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing a text, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Katamanova E.V., Efimova N.V. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing a text, design and editing of the article.
All authors approval of the manuscript final version. 

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 

Acknowledgement. This work was carried out within the framework of state assignment.

Received: June 15, 2022 / Accepted: August 04, 2022 / Published: September 30, 2022