Morphological risk predictors for miners’ health in the context of clinical studies

Introduction The study showed systemic pathological changes in miners exposed to long-term coal-rock dust. This determines the importance of modern research methods to improve the diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases. Deficiencies in classification and diagnosis require a comprehensive approach, including new technologies and morphological data that make it possible to detect hidden risks to miners’ health. The purpose of the study was to identify hidden early signs of the systemic nature in pneumoconiosis, which serve as evidence of the importance of further preventive and therapeutic measures. Materials and methods. Histological and morphometric analysis of tissues of internal organ obtained during fifty medicolegal investigations of a group of miners who died simultaneously in a man-made disaster was carried out using light microscopy through an Olympus SX-31 microscope with the West Medica software for an accurate evaluation. The analysis included all organs except those damaged by trauma. Statistical analysis was based on the calculation of mean, standard deviation, median, quartiles and Mann-Whitney test for comparison of groups. Results. A study of the respiratory tract tissue of miners showed significant changes associated with the process of pneumoconiosis, including an increase in macrophages, thickening of the interalveolar septa, and accumulation of coal dust. Dystrophic and sclerotic changes were found not only in the lungs, but also in other organs, which indicated systemic exposure to coal dust. The results emphasize the need for an integrated approach to the diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases in miners, taking into account the systemic influence of occupational factors on health and the need to adapt therapeutic measures. Limitations. This study assumes the further enlargement with the use of immunohistochemical research methods. Conclusion. The conducted pathomorphological study confirmed the importance of assessing the systemic symptoms of occupational diseases when carrying out specialized medical procedures in miners.