[Clinical course of chronic bronchitis in Chernobyl wreckers].
OBJECTIVE
To characterize clinical symptoms of chronic bronchitis (CB) in Chernobyl wreckers.


METHODS
71 CB male Chernobyl wreckers exposed to low-dose radiation and 43 control patients were examined and treated in a specialized hospital in 1988-1996. Clinical features of CB were investigated by clinical (complaints, history, objective examination), laboratory (total blood count, biochemical and immunological blood picture, coagulogram) and instrumental (fibrobronchoscopy, x-ray, radiometry, spirography) findings with further statistical processing.


RESULTS
Chernobyl wreckers more frequently had neurocirculatory asthenia and hemoptysis. The latter was caused by bronchial mucosa atrophy. In chronic non-obstructive bronchitis they exhibited mild bronchoobstruction on the distal level. Laboratory indices showed no essential changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Chernobyl wreckers have a more severe course of CB.
Tkachishin
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014455:Ukraine