Structural and functional alterations of subjects with cement dust exposure: A longitudinal quantitative computed tomography-based study

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 837; p. 155812
• Main Authors: Kim, Taewoo, Lim, Myoung-nam, Kim, Woo Jin, Ho, Thao Thi, Lee, Chang Hyun, Chae, Kum Ju, Bak, So Hyeon, Jin, Gong Yong, Park, Eun-Kee, Choi, Sanghun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2022
• Subjects: air; cement; Cement dust exposure; computed tomography; dust; environment; lung function; lungs; pulmonary emphysema; Reduced global lung shape; Reduced tissue volume; risk factors; Wall thickening; Reduced global lung shape; Cement dust exposure; Wall thickening; Reduced tissue volume
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155812

Cement dust exposure (CDE) can be a risk factor for pulmonary disease, causing changes in segmental airways and parenchymal lungs. This study investigates longitudinal alterations in quantitative computed tomography (CT)-based metrics due to CDE. We obtained CT-based airway structural and lung functional metrics from CDE subjects with baseline CT and follow-up CT scans performed three years later. From the CT, we extracted wall thickness (WT) and bifurcation angle (θ) at total lung capacity (TLC) and functional residual capacity (FRC), respectively. We also computed air volume (Vair), tissue volume (Vtissue), global lung shape, percentage of emphysema (Emph%), and more. Clinical measures were used to associate with CT-based metrics. Three years after their baseline, the pulmonary function tests of CDE subjects were similar or improved, but there were significant alterations in the CT-based structural and functional metrics. The follow-up CT scans showed changes in θ at most of the central airways; increased WT at the subgroup bronchi; smaller Vair at TLC at all except the right upper and lower lobes; smaller Vtissue at all lobes in TLC and FRC except for the upper lobes in FRC; smaller global lung shape; and greater Emph% at the right upper and lower lobes. CT-based structural and functional variables are more sensitive to the early identification of CDE subjects, while most clinical lung function changes were not noticeable. We speculate that the significant long-term changes in CT are uniquely observed in CDE subjects, different from smoking-induced structural changes. [Display omitted] •Longitudinal QCT-based metrics due to cement dust exposure (CDE) are analyzed.•Subjects with CDE undergo serious changes in airway structure and lung function.•Airway wall thickness is predominantly increased for 3 years in subjects with CDE.•Our finding suggests to add a longitudinal CT scan on the clinical intervention.