Mortality from infectious pneumonia associated with the severity of airflow limitation in pneumoconiosis: Proportional mortality study as a case-control study.

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the mortality risk from infectious pneumonia was associated with the severity of airflow limitation among subjects in the cohort of pneumoconiosis.Methods: Proportional mortality study was designed as a case-control study with 347 cases and 328 controls. Mortality odds ratios (OR) were evaluated according to the severity of airflow limitation.Results: The odds of mortality from pneumonia among the severe and very severe airflow limitation groups who performed spirometry at the time less than 1 year ago before death were 2.34 (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.04 to 5.28) and 8.77 times (OR 8.77; 95% CI 1.69 to 45.68) greater compared to the non-airflow limitation group.Conclusions: Severe airflow limitation in pneumoconiosis increases mortality from infectious pneumonia, presenting a dose-response relationship.