A retrospective cohort study of interstitial lung abnormalities in pneumoconiosis

<bold>Objectives</bold> To investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and risk factors associated with interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) and radiological progression on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans in patients with pneumoconiosis. <bold>Methods:</bold> A total of 1,116 pneumoconiosis patients were screened for inclusion in this study. Baseline data were thoroughly compared, and Logistic and Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors associated with the radiological progression of ILAs on HRCT during the follow-up period. <bold>Results:</bold> Out of the 604 pneumoconiosis patients included in the analysis, 11.92% developed ILAs at baseline. Advanced age (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.17-3.63, P=0.013) and connective tissue disease (CTD)(OR 4.42, 95% CI 1.05-18.62, P=0.043) emerged as independent risk factors for ILAs. Over a median follow-up period of 3.06 years, 10 patients out of 152 non-ILAs pneumoconiosis developing ILAs. 19.67% (36/183) of the patients with pneumoconiosis exhibited radiological progression of ILAs. Reticular abnormalities observed on baseline HRCT (HR 10.70, 95% CI 2.09-54.85, P=0.004) was significantly associated with radiological progression of ILAs in pneumoconiosis. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> ILAs occur in approximately one-tenth of pneumoconiosis patients, particularly in the elderly and those with CTD. Reticular abnormalities were identified as a risk factor for radiological progression of ILAs in pneumoconiosis.