RECOVERY OF RESPIRATORY-FUNCTION IN SURVIVORS WITH PARAQUAT INTOXICATION

The purpose of this study was to investigate chest radiograms and resp iratory function changes, including pulmonary function tests and alveo lar-arterial oxygen difference, in survivors with paraquat intoxicatio n. Chest radiograms and pulmonary function tests for 21 paraquat-poiso ned patients were performed 10 d after paraquat intoxication; 3 mo lat er, the tests were repeated in 16 patients who survived. Forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, diffusing capacity of the l ung, and alveolar-arterial oxygen difference were compromised after pa raquat intoxication. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity correlated significantly with initial platelet counts (r = .4 53 and .443, respectively) 10 d after intoxication. The alveolar-arter ial oxygen difference also correlated significantly with peak serum to tal bilirubin concentrations (r = .443) and initial platelet counts (r = .469). The follow-up data for respiratory functions (forced expirat ory volume in 1 s: 74.33 +/- 27.1% versus 97.89 +/- 16.39%; forced vit al capacity: 71.44 +/- 26.03% versus 93.22 +/- 13.92%; diffusing capac ity of lung: 60.11 +/- 27.61% versus 81.67 +/- 24.56%; alveolar-arteri al oxygen difference: 37.95 +/- 24.32 mm Hg versus 7.75 +/- 9.94 mm Hg ) and chest radiograms of survivors with moderate to severe paraquat p oisoning showed significant improvements 3 mo after intoxication. The results demonstrated that paraquat-induced respiratory function impair ments could recover significantly, at least partially, with time. In a ddition, pulmonary structure damage improved, as shown in the follow-u p chest radiographs.