The compulsory scheme for reporting occupational respiratory diseases is seriously under-reporting in the three Spanish regions studied. Our voluntary surveillance program, which showed considerable differences in the characteristics and incidence of these diseases among the regions, appears to be more effective.

This study suggests that silica induces functional alteration regardless of silicosis and, in all likelihood, synergistically with tobacco. Exposure levels must be controlled better in these workers and those with silicosis must be relocated to risk-free jobs or retired.

To evaluate the role of personal factors in pneumoconiosis, several acute phase proteins were studied in 62 coal miners without acute illnesses and classified as having no pneumoconiosis (n = 19), simple pneumoconiosis (n = 23), or complicated pneumoconiosis with pro-

Radiologic alterations are found in relation to tobacco. The FEV1 has a negative relation with the product dust-tobacco. No alterations related to Pi phenotype are found. A subgroup with the highest alpha1-antitrypsin levels had more radiologic alterations and worse function.

No abstract