[Interpretation of pneumoconiosis--results of cardiopulmonary function tests in dust-exposed patients with and without silicosis].

The retrospective evaluation of 472 judgements of professional disease in persons exposed to dusts showed that all observed restrictions of cardio-pulmonary function (obstructive lung disease, increase of residual volume, respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension) occurred almost independently from the presence and stage of silicosis, but correlated first of all with the duration of exposure. Frequency and degree of functional disorders in exposed persons without radiologically demonstrable silicosis indicate that the fraction of nonspecific dusts, which is by far larger than the SiO2-fraction, produces chronic obstructive lung disease and its sequelae (emphysema, pulmonary hypertension). The term "pneumoconiosis" should therefore be used in a much broader sense than hitherto. This leads to considerations of the present practice of judgement on silicosis which are presented and discussed in detail.