Early clinical, pulmonary function and blood gas studies in victims of Bhopal tragedy.
Vijayan, V.K.; Kuppu Rao, K.V.
Biomedicine; 1993; 13; 36-42.
Clinical, Pulmonary function and blood gas studies carried out in 129 symptomatic toxic gas exposed individuals 1-3 months after exposure had revealed that pulmonary function measurements such as FVC, FEV1 and FMF 25-75% were significantly lower in toxic gas exposed subjects and 57 subjects (44.2%) had ventilatory impairment. The predominant type of ventilatory defect was combined obstruction and restriction. Of these 57 subjects, 5 (9%) had severe respiratory impairment. With increasing severity of exposure, there was a tendency for a higher proportion of subjects to have increasing impairment in pulmonary function and this trend was significant statistically (p<0.001). Isolated small airway disease was present in 9 (7%) subjects. 20.3% of patients with normal physical findings and 119.1% with normal chest roenigenograms had abnormal pulmonary function. Arterial hypoxemia and ventilatory abnormalities were predominant in severely exposed patients. Further studies are required to identify the subgroup of patients with Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome. Long term follow-up is essential to categorise the pulmonary syndromes due to toxic gas exposure.
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