Evaluation of paranasal sinus mucosa in coal worker's pneumoconiosis: a computed tomographic study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate by computed tomographic scanning the paranasal mucosal changes of coal workers with and without pneumoconiosis.


METHODS
Examination of images and scores from paranasal computed tomographic scans. The study participants were 26 coal workers with pneumoconiosis, 29 coal workers without pneumoconiosis, and 20 controls. All were men. The extent and patterns of inflammatory paranasal sinus disease were evaluated on computed tomographic scans by 2 radiologists using the terminology and definitions of Newman and associates.


RESULTS
Interobserver agreement for the presence of abnormalities was from good to excellent (kappa, 0.63-0.89). The mucosal scores of individuals and groups were higher for coal workers than for control subjects. Both scores were significantly higher in the pneumoconiosis group than in the 2 other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that paranasal sinuses were affected more severely in coal workers than in control subjects. In coal workers with pneumoconiosis, the affection was most severe. The relationship between coal dust exposure and paranasal mucosal changes needs further study.
Ozdemir
Hüseyin
H
Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey. hozdemir37@yahoo.com
Altin
Remzi
R
Mahmutyazicioğlu
Kamran
K
Kart
Levent
L
Uzun
Lokman
L
Savranlar
Ahmet
A
Davçanci
Halit
H
Gündoğdu
Sadi
S
D000328:Adult; D003032:Coal Mining; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology