[Respiratory organ pathology in the participants in the cleanup of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].

The authors performed this investigation to ascertain the role of radioactive dust inhalation in the onset of respiratory diseases and determination of clinicomorphological features of such pathology. The authors have found that work in conditions of massive dust exposure, stay in the dust zone for a month and longer in 1986-1987 were the decisive risk factors of respiratory impairment. The examination covered 28 patients who had acute symptoms of inhalation damage to respiratory system when performing their job in the contaminated zone. Later on they developed chronic progressive respiratory affection having the following clinicomorphological characteristics: 1) persistent cough with hard to expectorate sputum, addition of respiratory insufficiency, sluggish recurrent infection and inflammation, deterioration of working capacity and quality of life, 2) isolated decline of specific diffuse capacity of the lungs in combination with obstructive ventilation, 3) marked disturbances of cellular immunity (reduced fraction of T-helpers and increased fraction of T-suppressors), 4) x-ray picture of diffuse pneumosclerosis and hyperairiness of the lung tissue, 5) endoscopic evidence of inflammation and atrophy of the bronchial tree mucosa, 6) numerous alveolar macrophages with foreign inclusions in the lavage fluid, such markers of Chernobyl dust inhalation as Sr, Zr, I, Cs, Ce, Np, Pu, Am, Cm registered in alveolar macrophages at roentgenospectral and roentgenofluorescent microtests, 7) defective functional activity of alveolar macrophages (free radical activation). Long-term persistence of the Chernobyl dust in the lung tissue results in essential functional and morphological changes in cell composition of the alveolar area, lung tissue undergoes structural alterations contributing to specific respiratory diseases with typical clinicomorphological characteristics.