Mortality From Infectious Pneumonia Associated With the Severity of Airflow Limitation in Pneumoconiosis: Proportional Mortality Study as a Case-Control Study.

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 (ORs) 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% confidence interval 1.04 to 5.28) and 8.77 times (OR 8.77; 95% confidence interval 1.69 to 45.68) greater compared to the nonairflow limitation group.

Conclusions: Severe airflow limitation in pneumoconiosis increases mortality from infectious pneumonia, presenting a dose-response relationship.