[State of pulmonary surfactant and hemodynamics of lesser blood circulation in Donets Basin coal miners during development of dust-induced respiratory tract diseases].

Respiratory diseases caused by dust in coal miners and high-risk group are manifested by accumulation of low surface-active surfactant masses, which thicken alveolar-capillary membrane, thus the smallest bronchi and alveoli collapse and diffusion of oxygen across blood-gas barrier becomes inadequate. Respiratory hypoxemia leads to reflectory construction of pulmonary arterioles, hence pulmonary hypertension occurs and cuts down blood supply to middle and lower portions of lungs, where dust is the most likely to invade. The blood supply is therefore shunted to the upper portions of lungs, which is compensatory. The stated changes appear at early stages of occupational respiratory diseases in miners.